The Only Ones
by Liv-x-Case-Benson
Summary: Wyatt kills Piper and Paige, leaving Phoebe and Chris to fight him alone without the Power of Three. Chris always wondered what he was destined for and he's about to find out it's bigger than anyone ever expected. It's time for a new destiny, a new power.
1. Broken Bonds

**Author's Note:**Hello, my fellow fanfiction readers and writers!! Here's my newest story. I hope you like it

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The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 1: Broken Bonds**

Hearing a yell in the distance woke Chris from his unconscious state. He stood and instantly turned around as an energy ball headed straight for his stomach. He expected to feel pain flood his senses, blocking out most of everything else, but instead he saw his mother drop to her knees clutching her stomach, blood dripping through her open fingers.

"Mom, are you okay?" The fourteen-year-old asked, panicked. He never knew Wyatt's energy balls could be so powerful. Piper couldn't find it in herself to answer as she watched her oldest son advance on her sister, who had her back turned.

"Paige!!" She yelled. Paige turned around just as Wyatt threw an energy ball in her direction; she orbed out and reformed. "Chris…help…Paige." Piper told him in near gasps of breath.

"But Mo—"

"Chris, don't argue; just do it!!" She told him. Chris nodded.

"You know what Wyatt?" His aunt told him as she reformed, missing another energy ball. "This is getting old. I've got all day, you know." Piper couldn't help but smirk at her youngest sister's comment. Paige was always the one who insisted that the boys give everything they have when fighting, except now, Piper realized that it could be the last thing she did.

"Getting old is it?" Wyatt asked, raising his hand, fist clenched. Catching her slightly off guard, he lifted Paige off the floor, as she tried to claw at the invisible force that was cutting off her airway, coughing. "How's this Aunt Paige? This interesting enough for you?" Unknown to everyone except the two of them, Wyatt moved his aunt above a broken table leg.

Out of nowhere, Wyatt was TK'd into the wall, which relinquished his hold on Paige who fell directly onto the leg, piercing her chest, rendering her unconscious. Piper ran to her, as fast as she could leaving a bloody trail behind her, as Chris walked slowly over to his demonic older brother.

"Paige? Paige, come on, wake up…please…" Piper pleaded, tears instantly filling her worry-filled eyes as she dropped beside her, wincing in pain, still clutching her injury. She looked toward her sons.

"Well, well Chris I'm impressed. You actually caught me off guard." Wyatt said standing. "You should join me; you'd be treated well down there."

"No Wyatt, absolutely not; why are you doing this? What's happened to you?"

"Nothing really…I've just given into the overwhelming warlock power that I now possess. It's great, Chris. Witches tremble at the mere mention of my name…demons bow down to me…and innocent blood looks so sweet on my—" SMACK!! Wyatt was stunned and Chris was surprised he hadn't noticed his mother step up beside him. Piper never laid a hurtful hand to either of them, so Chris knew this was bad.

"Wyatt Matthew Halliwell!!" She shouted. "Stop this right now!!" Wyatt just stood there with a smirk etched on his face.

"Is that supposed to scare me Mom?" He asked sarcastically blasting her backward toward her youngest sister.

"Mom!! Wyatt, how dare you treat them like they're your enemies…" Chris told him, eyes turning to ice.

"They are." Wyatt said simply. "They stand in my way of becoming the most powerful being in the Underworld…so they are my enemies." Wyatt said hurling an energy ball directly at Chris, hitting him in the stomach. "And guess what little brother? As long as you're on their side, so are you." He said leaving in black orbs.

"Chris…Chris…" Piper called. With his hands practically glued to his stomach to decrease his blood flow, forgetting he could orb anywhere in a second, he turned and ran as fast as he could over to his family.

Before he reached them, he slipped and fell onto the attic floor. Momentarily forgetting about his injury, Chris placed both hands on the floor to regain his momentum only to realize what caused him to fall. He saw pool of blood forming beneath his mother and aunt. Having no will or desire to stand anymore, shaken, he crawled over to them. Blood was absorbed by his denim blue-jeans, light blue sweater…even his white socks were becoming red over the top of his tennis shoes, but then, at that time, all that mattered was getting to them before it was too late.

"Chris…" Paige called. He almost didn't recognize it as the mentor that had trained him in magic for the past eight years…it was so soft and light…almost like she could…_'No, no she won't die…she can't… she can't leave me now…'_ Was all Chris could bring himself to think as Paige placed one hand over his stomach, and with everything she had, healed him.

"Aunt Paige, you didn't have to do that…you'll be okay." Chris tried to tell her, but more importantly, himself. He knew that wasn't possible…color was fading fast from her face…Chris could almost feel the life flowing out of her body. His mother stood.

"What are you doing?" He asked through tears. Piper looked at him, her face already stained with tears that she couldn't keep back.

"Wh—what does it l-look l-like I'm doing, Chris?" She asked her voice shaking violently with each ragged breath she drew. "Help me."

Silently, he grabbed his aunt's opposite side under her back. He knew there was no hope for her, as bad as he wanted to say there was.

"On three…" Piper said her arms in the exact same position as her son's. They'd all had this type of injury at least once. The trick now would be to pull her straight up as fast as they could and avoid making the injury larger. Chris lifted his foot in attempt to get a better grip, and he nearly fell, but surprisingly, Paige grabbed his arm before he fell.

"Can't…have you…falling…for this…can I?" She said smiling. _'How can she be smiling now?'_ He wondered.

"One…" Chris started.

"Two…" Piper said.

"Three!!" Paige said as best she could. They pulled straight up and over. Chris kicked the broken leg down with his foot. Together, he and his mom helped her walk a few steps to the middle of the floor.

"Come on, Aunt Paige, just a few more steps." Chris said. Paige shook her head and looked over at Piper, who knelt beside her.

"Chris…you…have to…protect Phoebe. You're the…only one…who can…now." Paige told him.

"Wh—why can't you?" Chris asked even though he thought he knew the answer. Right now he wanted to be wrong more than anything.

"Chris, we can't do anything about this." Piper told him, steadying her voice through streams of tears.

"I can…I'll heal you…like you healed me…" Chris said, tears splashing onto his aunt's t-shirt. He placed his hands over the injury and focused…nothing happened. "I—I don't understand…if you healed me, then why—" Paige brought a hand up to his face, trying to wipe his tears away, but only making them increase.

"It's supposed to be this way…even you can feel it; I know you can." Paige said, tears increasing ten-fold as Chris grabbed her hand as it was falling to the ground.

Piper sat in a shocked state. How could her little boy be killing them…murdering innocents…? What happened to him? A hard cough from her youngest sister brought her to the real world. She tried to move, but she knew she'd lost more and more blood as she was sitting there.

"Chris…" Paige said in barely a whisper; he turned his attention to her. "Can you…move me closer…to your mom, please?" He nodded, lifting her and placing her in his mom's arms, crying bullets the entire time. "What…are you…doing now?" She asked as he placed his hands over her stomach once more, looking at the ceiling.

"Look, I understand that this is supposed to happen, but please can I just decrease it a little bit?" He asked, his hands glowed golden and the jagged edges of his aunt's wound disappeared. "Is that better?" His aunt nodded.

"Hey…Piper…" Her oldest sister turned toward her.

"Yes…?" Piper asked, breath coming shorter now. She knew what was happening; all three of them did…she just couldn't believe it. She tried to keep her tears back, but what was the point now? Neither of them were going to get up and walk away; they didn't have the strength or the energy. She grasped her sister's hand like a lifeline that went between their hearts, only to realize how weak her sister's grip was becoming. "What is it?"

"Tell me, what's Prue like?" She asked softly; Piper almost had to read her lips to know what she said.

"She's strong…stubborn, and can probably control her powers in her sleep. She protects us, like Mom and Grams do. Is that what you wanted to know?" Piper asked through rivers of tears. She could practically hear Prue saying "Wait and you'll see."

"She had telekinesis like me, Aunt Paige." Chris answered.

"Mind…reader…" She said smiling.

"She had astral projection." Piper finished.

"Mom, if you couldn't stop him, what makes you think I can?" Chris asked. Wyatt was powerful, and so was he, but if he could kill his mom and aunt, what could stop him now? There would be no Power of Three anymore and that thought scared him. The Power of Three was what kept everything in order… without it everything would fall into chaos.

"Not just you Chris Phoebe too. You forget, she's an Empath, and her powers could be the key to restoring peace in this world…" Piper told him, wiping her eyes on her blood-stained shirt.

"Chris…take…my hands…" Paige instructed and he did as she asked. Chris could feel his body rising, but he wasn't moving; he looked at her confused. "Now you'll…always have…me beside you. You have my Whitelighter powers."

"Paige…I know you can't hang on much longer…you don't have to…" Piper said as her sister's breath became shallower. Chris pulled her to him.

"I love you, Aunt Paige. Thanks for everything." Chris said as his tears dripped on her shoulder. Piper knew she should feel worse, but there wasn't really a point when she'd see her soon enough. "Mom, do you want to hold her again?" Chris asked situating her in his lap.

"No Chris, its okay…I'll see her soon enough…" Piper told him. _'How can she be so calm about this? She's dying and that's all she says?'_

"I love you too. Tell Phoebe…tell her…I'll be watching…" With those words, Chris felt the remaining life in her slip from his grasp. His mom reached over and closed her eyes.

"Wh—what do I do with her now?" Chris asked his voice shaking. Piper gestured to the floor and Chris gently laid her down.

He looked at his hands that were dripping with the hot sticking fluid, and moved over toward his mom.

"Why are you calm? You're dying, Mom…"

"I know…I'm going to miss the three of you so much…can I just lay here?" She asked. Chris shook his head tears running down his face. He pulled her into his lap.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did you have Aunt Paige heal me and not you?"

"You and Phoebe are the only hope for future…I can't reason with Wyatt anymore…" Piper said coughing blood into her hand.

"But what can I do? I need you…I need your help…" Piper reached up and wiped a tear from his eye.

"You and Phoebe can do this; I believe in you. You have to help her perfect her powers of Premonition, Empathy, and Electro Mental Ignition… When she can use any in the blink of an eye, then you can choose…"

"Choose?" He asked.

"To save Wyatt or destroy him. I know I'm not usually like this, but that is a choice that the two of you must make when the time comes…" She brought her hand to his neck.

"H—how do y—you know all this?"

"Go to the last page of the Book and you will find the answers you want and need. You'll really have to help Phoebe, Chris; this is going to destroy her emotionally. You know that right?" Piper asked as she placed her hand on top of Chris'. She could feel her pulse getting slower by the second, but she didn't want to worry him.

"Yeah." He answered. He saw her eyes begin to look distant. "Mom…Mom. No, not yet!! MOM!!" He screamed.

"I love you, baby. Never…give…up…" She told him as her life drained from her body completely.

Chris felt like his heart was breaking in two. He couldn't bring himself to let go of her. It felt like he sat there for hours until he heard a door slam. Taking a deep breath, he gently placed his mom on the ground, kissing her cheek. It was time for the real battle to begin…

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**Author's Note:** So what do you think? How will Phoebe take this news and what was Piper referring to in the back of the Book of Shadows?

Next Chapter: **Chapter 2: Anguish**

Please R&R.

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	2. Anguish

**Author's Note:**Hello, my fellow fanfiction readers and writers!! Here's chapter two for you.

I would also like to **give personal thanks** to: **Dirty Liza, guardian music angel, iamkagomeiloveinuyasha, Alejandra, **and **jenny**, for thier kind and thoughtful reviews. Thanks everyone!! Keep it up!!

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The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 2: Anguish**

"Hey, is anyone home?" Came Phoebe's voice from the entryway downstairs. Chris stood, wiping the tears from his eyes. Turning toward them, he recited the all-too-familiar spell:

"Let the object of objection

Become but a dream

As I cause the seen

To be unseen"

The bodies and blood vanished from sight. The one thing he couldn't solve, however, were the stains on his clothing. _'I wonder if she knows something's wrong...'_ A loud _'thud'_ came from downstairs. _'Yeah, she knows. Well, I know I have to help her through this...'_ Chris thought as he came to the attic door, his hand on the doorknob.

"Here goes nothing." Chris said to himself opening the door and walking down the attic stairs. He knew she was still downstairs, and he assumed the loud _'thud'_ he just heard was her dropping to the floor. As much as he wanted to help her, he wanted a little time so he walked downstairs.

When Chris reached the bottom stair, he saw his Aunt Phoebe on her hands and knees trying to stay upright...he noticed her face had the expression that his mom had when she was first hit by Wyatt's energy ball. He got down to her level and looked her in the eyes.

"Chris, what are you-Oh my God!! What happened to you? What's going on?" She noticed tears well up in his beautiful green eyes and she pushed herself back onto her knees as the pain that she felt subsided. "Chris, sweetie...what's wrong?"

Chris couldn't think of anything to say. Tears were running in rivers...the pain was fresh...raw. Phoebe suspected that this had something to do with the overwhelming pain that she had felt moments previously. Chris just threw his arms around her and broke down shaking.

Phoebe could now feel every single emotion that he was feeling and she too, felt like crying, but she had to know why first. She had good control of her Empathy anymore, so she couldn't immediately feel what Chris was feeling until he threw his arms around her. That was the one power that she focused on when her nephews were young, as they always seemed to be getting into fights over various things. It was never good when her powers would latch on to them. In some ways, she still wished that she could instantly feel things, especially now.

"Chris, I want to help you, but I need to know what happened." Phoebe told him hugging him tightly in an attempt to ease his pain, but increasing hers.

"Can't y-you feel it?" Chris asked through sobs.

"Yes...I feel something..." Phoebe answered, trying to deny the pain that was beginning to form in her heart...the spot where her sisters usually were. In truth, she should still be at work, but felt an emotional pain in her heart, said she wasn't feeling well, and left early. And now, it seemed, her youngest nephew was confirming her deepest fears, by the wracking sobs he just couldn't keep back.

"Wy-Wyatt came here...and...and...Mom...MOM!!" Chris screamed into her shoulder. Phoebe now got a feeling that whatever happened was horrible.

"What did Wyatt do now?" Phoebe asked worriedly. "Where's Paige?" Chris didn't want to say the word, so he thought of a better way.

"We're the only ones left, Aunt Phoebe...I-I'm sorry; I t-tried t-to save them, but I couldn't..." Chris said pulling back to see her face.

"Y-you mean...?" Phoebe was beginning to paint a picture in her mind, and by the look she was giving Chris, it wasn't pretty. "No, no th-there's just no way...not even Wyatt would be cruel enough...to..." Words failed her. The worse part, in some ways, was the fact that she could see a lot of what happened in their final moments by the reflections in her nephew's eyes.

Chris' body was shaking uncontrollably now and Phoebe felt that it wasn't right for her to lose control when he was so close to losing himself in grief. They must've sat like that for half an hour, at least, until silently, without even looking at her work for the weekend or grabbing her laptop, she stood from the floor, almost shaking Chris from her, and went upstairs.

Chris knew what was going through her mind, so he let her leave without an argument. His mom's last words of advice floated into his mind: "Go to the last page of the Book and you will find the answers you want and need." Even though he wasn't thrilled about going back up there, by any means, he just had to know what she meant.

He orbed up to the family heirloom, grabbed it from the podium, and orbed back downstairs to the couch. He now noticed that the blood on his clothes was almost dry. _'Well, that's good. At least I won't be tracking it around the house.'_ He thought.

He opened the Book of Shadows to the last page and saw an entry that he was sure had never been there before. Interested, he began to read:

_The youngest brother of the Blessed Sons is not bound by rules of a brother's destiny. The Power of Three will not last forever. A time will come when only a single Charmed One remains, when the Power of Three is shattered. When this event occurs, together the youngest son and last remaining Charmed One must fight a battle of the heart. In the end, the power that will win is not one of strength, but resilience...not power, but wisdom. The power they shall hold is not raw energy, but pure emotion. Emotions of their hearts will make an everlasting bond...a new power._

Chris read the page over and over. Could this be that time? Were they the ones to form a new power, unseen by even Wyatt? How had his mom known this was the right time and place? Was this why his mom asked him to help his Aunt Phoebe perfect her powers, for this battle? He had more questions than answers and some, he knew, could never be answered.

He figured that he should keep the Book of Shadows with him just in case something else happened. He also wondered if Wyatt knew about this new power. No he couldn't, Chris decided closing the heirloom. If he knew this power could defeat him, why would he have left Chris alive in the first place?

"Well Mom," Chris voiced aloud. "I'll change my clothes and then I'll help Aunt Phoebe; I don't think I'd be making it any easier if I wore these clothes in there with her powers of Premonition. She does need to read this, but I think the pain of you two dying is enough for her to think about today." Chris stood, walking over to the stairs. "Oh and even though I don't have to say it, I will. I love you too."

With those words, he orbed up to his room and laid the keepsake on his bed. Chris stripped himself of his bloody clothing throwing them in the ever-growing pile at the foot of his bed. He donned on a red t-shirt (as the blood soaked through both layers of his shirts) and a pair of red pajama pants. _'Why does it matter what I wear now? It's not like I have plans to leave.'_ Chris thought sighing, walking back over and grabbing the keepsake and walking out of his room.

It seemed to weigh more on his heart than it had moments previously. Chris didn't need a diagnosis from anyone to know that he felt guilty. Guilty that he wasn't able to save them...or at least injure Wyatt and make him feel the pain of what he did to them. Chris noticed Phoebe's door was shut, but not all the way, so he assumed that she wanted him to come inside, at some point. He walked to the wall opposite her room and slid down to the floor, Book of Shadows protectively in his grasp.

What could he tell her? Certainly nothing came to mind that would make her feel better. She'd lost not just one sister...but all three now; what was he supposed to say? Suddenly, something his mom always used to tell him came to mind; _'Sometimes talking isn't necessarily the best thing you can do, Chris. Sometimes all a person wants...'_ "...is someone to lend a comforting shoulder." He finished, half smiling. He stood up and walked to her door. He thought of knocking, but as he could hear her wracked sobs, he didn't think she'd be able to answer.

He pushed it open just enough so he could slip in and gently closed it until he heard it click. He didn't feel like going any further, not because he didn't want to help her, but because he always felt like she should at least acknowledge him before continuing. She was lying on top of her bedspread facing the window.

"Chris..." Phoebe asked softly through the darkness of the room. She knew the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but she felt anything except bright or cheery. That was to be expected though, wasn't it? Both of her sisters had just lost their lives to a member of their family...how could she be happy?

"Yes, Aunt Phoebe." He answered quietly. She didn't say anything else, so he walked around to the other side of her bed. Immediately, he noticed her outer rims of her eyes were red, along with her nose. He couldn't blame her though. If he had the time, he would be too. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to break down for real. He was barely holding up himself.

He couldn't really think of what to say...he set the Book on the floor and sat on the edge. In truth, he almost couldn't stand looking at her...she looked so much like her sisters...his mom in particular. He thought he could be strong now that she knew part of what happened, but he was breaking...even she could realize it without any powers.

"Chris...is there something you want to say?" Phoebe asked. There were so many questions whirling around in his eyes...troubles, worries, doubts.

"No, no I just thought you might like..." She reached and grabbed his hand. He couldn't finish his train of thought. Now the pain came that blocked most of his senses... Chris figured his body must've been in some type of shock for him not to feel like this before. It didn't surprise him though.

"Chris, you came to try and help me, didn't you?" She asked being able to steady her voice for a moment. He nodded, tears flowing freely.

"I-it was th-their last wish...for m-me to help y-you." Phoebe sat up and pulled his hand so he knew he could come up.

Tears dripping onto his pants and hands, with all the strength he could muster, he crawled up onto the bed...right into her arms. Neither of them could speak, but they didn't have to. They were each other's solace...safe place. Each knew how the other felt, so there was no reason for words. As they sat there, Phoebe couldn't help wondering how much Chris saw of what happened. From the sobs that shook his body, she figured he must have seen pretty much all of it.

Phoebe's mind was drawing blanks for what to do now though. The Power of Three was lost forever and without it demons would be coming at her and Chris left and right. That power was strong, but she was just one woman; what could she do now? Her body now shook almost as uncontrollably as his did, except she was able to stay upright, by some unknown force. She just couldn't believe what happened at first; that was why she came up here...to sort things out. What could they do now?

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_Up There_

_"Mom, why do they have to do it alone? Why couldn't we stay?" Piper asked facing Patty._

_"Certain people have certain goals to fulfill in their lives... Yours was to give light to the next generation, so that Chris had the strength when Phoebe wouldn't." She turned toward Paige._

_"And yours, Paige, was to help him advance his powers to a point to where he no longer necessarily needed guidance."_

_"What make you so sure they can do this though? I know it was written in the Book of Shadows, but just because it's written there doesn't mean it has to happen." Paige said._

_"They're Halliwells; they'll be okay." Said a voice behind her quietly. She turned around to meet a face she had never seen before except in photos._

_"P-Prue?" She asked with uncertainty, she nodded._

_"Hello Paige, it's nice to finally meet my youngest sister." Prue told her, receiving a glare that could rival Phoebe's easily. Piper turned around and hugged her._

_"Relax Paige, she's been up here for quite some time now. She knows you don't like to be called that." Piper told her smiling. Paige's glare immediately left her face as she joined Piper._

_"Think they'll get along?" Patty asked her mother._

_"You know, they just might..." Grams told her.

* * *

_

Phoebe sat on her bed for the longest time, just holding the closest person she had left in this world to her older sister...the only person she had left period. The pain was definitely still there, but it felt better not to be alone now. Chris pulled back to look at her.

"You still look wonderful." He said. She smiled at his pleasant remark. He was always the one to compliment her. Piper did, though not nearly as much.

"Thank you, Chris." She told him, her voice raw from crying. "What do we do now?"

"Now we rest. But tomorrow is another day." Chris told her, hugging her once more, sliding off her bed to grab the Book of Shadows, and walking out of her room.

"Piper, Paige, I sure hope you had a good reason for doing this..." Phoebe told her, standing up and pulling her blankets back, then laying down again.

"Don't worry, Aunt Phoebe, they did." Chris whispered, while walking back to his room.**

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**Author's Note: **So what do you think? Now what will happen? Just a little note: the next chapter might be a little short.**

Next Chapter: **Chapter 3: A Tortured Soul**

Please R&R.

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	3. A Tortured Soul

**Author's Note: **Hello, my fellow fanfiction readers and writers!! Here's chapter three for you.

I would also like to **give personal thanks** to: **Gabwr, hinormajean. guardian music angel, and iamkagomeiloveinuyasha**, for thier kind and thoughtful reviews. Thanks everyone!! Keep it up!!

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 3: A Tortured Soul**

Chris opened his eyes, sitting up in bed. _'That dream again.'_ He thought, wiping the cold sweat from his face with a nearby towel from the floor. He threw the blankets back and stood up. He needed air now, so throwing on a sweatshirt, he orbed to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The cool morning breeze awoke his senses even more than his dream. _'Well, it wasn't really a dream... more like a recurring nightmare, except...it wasn't just a nightmare, it was reality.'_

He kept thinking he could've done something different...especially when it came to Paige. _'Would she have lived,'_ Chris thought, sitting on the edge. _'if I hadn't TK'd Wyatt into the wall? She was positioned right over that table leg. But how could I have known that?'_ He heard his Aunt Phoebe calling for him. He looked at his watch; it read 3:30 A.M. Sighing, he orbed back down to her, surprised that she was in his room.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" He asked walking over and sitting beside her on his bed.

"Not really, no. Where were you at?" She asked.

"Bridge...needed a little air." He answered quietly. Phoebe could tell from the tone of his voice that something was bothering him.

"Is something wrong, well, other than the obvious?" She asked as he laid his head on her shoulder. She noticed his neck was...wet? "Did you have a nightmare or are you just warm?" It seemed like ever since he was a kid, whenever Chris would have any type of nightmare, he broke out in sweat. Chris moved to the side of his bed that was against the wall; Phoebe joined him.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Phoebe. I really messed up this time." Chris said looking at her.

"What do you mean? I know you did what you could, Chris. You don't have anything to be sorry for. Wyatt's powerful anymore, sweetie, everyone knows that. None of this is your fault."

"But when Aunt Paige died...I-I think I might've caused the injury." He said trying to hold back tears.

"Chris, let me see."

"But Aunt Phoebe...it would only increase your pain..." She moved to sit right in front of him.

"Chris, look at me." He did as she asked. "I know it will make me feel worse, but honey, it'll put your mind to rest and hopefully end your nightmares. So, come on, give me your hands."

"You'll be there too right?" He asked.

"I won't leave, I promise." Reluctantly, Chris grabbed her hands and closed his eyes, taking them to the worst event of his life.

* * *

_"You know what Wyatt?" His aunt told him as she reformed, missing another energy ball. "This is getting old. I've got all day, you know." Piper couldn't help but smirk at her youngest sister's comment. Paige was always the one who insisted that the boys give everything they have when fighting, except now, Piper realized that it could be the last thing she did._

_"Getting old is it?" Wyatt asked, raising his hand, fist clenched. Catching her slightly off guard, he lifted Paige off the floor, as she tried to claw at the invisible force that was cutting off her airway, coughing. "How's this Aunt Paige? This interesting enough for you?" Unknown to everyone except the two of them, Wyatt moved his aunt above a broken table leg._

_Out of nowhere, Wyatt was TK'd into the wall, which relinquished his hold on Paige who fell directly onto the leg, piercing her chest, rendering her unconscious._

* * *

As soon as Chris saw Paige drop onto the leg, he pulled his hands away, shaking. Phoebe seemed to be stuck in the memory. Her body wasn't responding to any sort of touch. Chris thought he might have to shake her from it.

"Aunt Phoebe...?" Chris asked; no response. "Aunt Phoebe!!" Chris said, louder this time in the hopes that she'd hear him, but still no physical response.

He thought about what she saw and immediately regretted showing her. How could he be so cold? He knew what happened...could've just told her, but she insisted seeing it for herself. Chris looked right into her eyes and noticed that she wasn't caught in it, like he originally thought; she was too scared to move...too shocked by what she saw. Still shaking, he got up on his knees and held her, hoping by some miracle, she'd come out of it.

"I'm so sorry, Aunt Phoebe. I never should have let you see that." He said, tears now running down his face.

At that moment, Chris hated-no he loathed-magic. Magic was what killed them. He knew what his mom said and the words that the Book said would never change, but he didn't feel like fighting-not now.

"I hate magic..." Chris said more to himself than his aunt.

"Chris..." Phoebe said after sitting motionless for five minutes. "No you don't."

"Yes I do. If it hadn't been for magic, Mom and Aunt Paige would still be here..." He said looking at her. "Why's that funny?"

"It's just...that's sort of the same attitude Piper had when Prue died. She didn't want to have anything to do with magic." Phoebe told him.

"That doesn't surprise me. Mom was always the one saying that we ought to have 'normal' lives. She didn't think it was fair that you had a normal life growing up while we were always exposed to things of demonic nature from the time we were young."

"Well, you weren't supposed to have 'normal' lives anyway. With every new generation being more powerful than the next, how can any Halliwell be normal?" She asked. They sat in silence for about two minutes, until Chris glanced around his room and his eyes fell upon the Book of Shadows which was currently resting on his desk next to his paper on Whitelighter Safety that would never be graded now.

Removing his arms from Phoebe's shoulders, Chris stood jumping off his bed. Phoebe laughed. _'Still showing off.'_ He then walked over, grabbed his paper, and was about to turn around when his body froze. He had no idea what happened to him.

"Chris sweetie, are you okay?" His aunt asked, moving her black robe to one side as she stood and walked over. "What is that?" She asked, making him jump. She reached over and turned his lamp on.

"Just a paper...that won't be graded now..." Chris said, now fully realizing what the day's events meant. He dropped the paper, which floated to the floor and turned toward Phoebe. "How can that not be my fault?!" He said tears forming once more.

Phoebe looked down at the paper that lay on the floor. The title page said a lot:

Title: Whitelighter Safety

Name: Christopher Halliwell

Subject: Advanced Whitelighters

Instructor: Paige Matthews-Halliwell

Room: 607

She looked back at Chris. His eyes seemed to be looking past her; Phoebe turned around and saw the pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. The clothes on top seemed to be stained...she looked at her feet, toward the doorway. She didn't know why she hadn't noticed it before now. Shoe prints littered the floor of the teen's room. They were red...just like...like his clothes he'd been wearing when she walked in... she walked over and sat on the foot of his bed; he followed.

"I-I saw them...th-the looks on their faces...the last thing Aunt Paige said was that she'd be watching us..." Chris told her. "I couldn't do anything...you shouldn't even be near me..."

"Chris, it's never going to be your fault or mine that this happened. Things happen that we have no control over. Lord knows, I should be the one who doubts everything I've ever known or believed in, but I don't. Do you know why?"

Chris shook his head. For the first time since they died, he actually felt relieved that his aunt was going through the same things he was.

"It's because I know that no matter what, I've got the best little nephew to help me out." She said, earning herself a some-what playful glare for using the word 'little.' "I'd be more worried if I didn't have someone to help me. What else did they tell you?"

Chris looked almost shocked that she asked. After all, Phoebe was the only one of the Charmed Ones left.

"They told me I had to protect you. Mom said I had to help you perfect your powers..." His voice trailed off. "Aunt Paige gave me her Whitelighter powers." He said smiling.

"Well, then I guess you have no excuse not to be a good healer do you?" She joked, smiling back.

"There's something written in the Book too, but I think that can wait." He said yawning. Chris looked over at his digital clock that read 4:45.

"Yeah, we should both get some rest." She said as she stood. Chris threw his sweatshirt to the floor and crawled over his bed and tangled damp sheets to his pillow.

"Hey Aunt Phoebe?" He asked sleepily.

"What is it?" She asked walking around to the side of his bed, sitting on the edge.

"Will you stay until I fall asleep? I know it's childish, but I just don't want to have that dream again." She smiled standing up and walking over to his closet. Grabbing an extra pillow, she laid on top of his sheets on the other side of him taking his hand.

"How's this?" She asked. Phoebe knew how he felt; she was the same way...just didn't feel like being alone tonight.

"F-Fine." He said yawning. "Mom...Aunt Paige, I love you." He felt an elbow in his ribs. "Don't worry, Aunt Phoebe. I love you too."

"You too, kid, you too." She said as they drifted into a soundless slumber.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what do you think? And where was Leo while all of this happened?**

Next Chapter: **Chapter 4: Love of Life**

Please R&R.

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	4. Love or Life

**Author's Note: **Hello, my fellow fanfiction readers and writers!! Here's chapter fourfor you.

I would also like to **give personal thanks** to: **Gabwr, guardian music angel, and Kizoku Seishin**, for thier kind and thoughtful reviews. Thanks everyone!! Keep it up!!

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 4: Love or Life**

Lyrics: **"Savin' Me" by Nickelback**

Stretching, Chris opened his eyes, failing to suppress a yawn. The wall clock across from him, above his door, read 9:45 A.M.

He noticed that his aunt hadn't let his room, but he figured she didn't have that in mind. She was facing the wall now...almost touching it actually. It made him smile. Aunt Phoebe was always a hard sleeper on the weekends, and with the events that occurred yesterday, he wasn't surprised she was still out cold.

Laughing a little, Chris stood up from his bed, pulling Phoebe into the middle. He then walked over and dug in the back of his closet for a light quilt and walked back over, covering her with it, as her skin felt slightly chilly. He walked over and grabbed the paper from the floor. He honestly thought about throwing it, but something wouldn't let him, so he opened the last drawer he kept all his little Wiccan knick-knacks in and placed it on top, closing the drawer. He grabbed the Book of Shadows from his desk, and walked out of his room, leaving Phoebe to rest.

Walking out into the hallway, Chris heard his stomach growl. _'That's right.'_ He thought. _'We never had dinner...guess we weren't too hungry.'_

He orbed down to the living room. Setting the Book on the coffee table, he walked over to the stereo that was resting on the opposite wall. Running his hands over a few CDs, Chris chose All the Right Reasons by Nickelback. He turned it on, immediately turning down the volume, and inserted the CD.

He pushed Seek until he found the song he was looking for.

**Prison gates won't open up for me  
On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'  
Oh, I reach for you**

**Well I'm terrified of these four walls  
These iron bars can't hold my soul in  
All I need is you**

He then grabbed the heirloom and walked out into the kitchen.

**Show me what it's like  
To be the last one standing  
And teach me wrong from right  
**

Setting the Book on the table he walked over and opened the fridge. He almost found it funny that the next part of the song partly expressed how he felt.

**And I'll show you what I can be  
Say it for me  
Say it to me  
And I'll leave this life behind me  
Say it if it's worth saving me**

"Hm. Pancakes? Pancakes-"

"Sound good to me." Chris spun around, closing the fridge to see his Aunt Phoebe in the doorway, blanket draped over her shoulders.

"I'm sorry Aunt Phoebe, did the music wake you?" Chris asked, grabbing the remote he'd taken from atop the stereo and turning the volume lower. "I must not've realized how loud it was."

"No, I just couldn't sleep anymore and when I walked out into the hallway and heard the stereo, I figured this was where you were." She said walking over to him. "I used to fall asleep to that music. It doesn't bother me." Phoebe told him smiling.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as they walked over and sat at the table.

"I don't know. Guess the shock hasn't worn off yet." Phoebe answered, bringing the quilt around to cover her legs.

"Seems quiet without Mom cooking and Aunt Paige going on about students...that's why I turned the music on." Chris said grabbing the Book of Shadows.

"Yeah, it does seem quiet around here...too quiet. Kinda gives you the feeling something could happen." His aunt said looking around the room.

"Yeah, I wonder..." Chris said closing his eyes. "Wow that was easy." Chris said opening them again.

"What?"

"I can't sense anything or anyone near us, but I've never been able to do it that fast or that well before."

"Well, well Little Brother...it seems I can even fool my aunt now doesn't it?" Wyatt said, smirking and walking into the kitchen. Chris was immediately on his feet. Phoebe, on the other hand, just stared at him...she didn't know what to feel yet.

"What do you want now, Wyatt?" Chris asked through nearly clenched teeth. "Haven't you done enough damage to this family?" Chris asked anger bubbling just below the surface.

"Whoa, easy...I didn't come to fight this time. There'll be a time for that, don't worry." Wyatt told him, brushing his long blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Why are you here then?" Their aunt asked quietly, almost without emotion.

"They deserve a proper burial, Chris. I know you cast a spell to make them disappear-"

"Y-you did what?" Phoebe asked, a little stunned that he would cover that up.

"I just couldn't stand to look at them after...plus, if you came up I didn't want you to see that." Chris said facing her.

"I took the decency of digging two graves for them. Even though they stood in my way, I can't deny they were my family too." Wyatt told them forming into black orbs slowly.

"Wait Wyatt..." Phoebe said and he reformed. "Where?"

"One by Aunt Prue and the other by your Mom." He answered simply orbing out before they could ask anymore.

"I'm sorry...I know I shouldn't have done that." Chris said sitting back down.

"It's okay, Chris." Phoebe said placing her hand on top of his. "I would've done the same."

"Are you still hungry?" He asked. He was, but he thought this was more important right now. Wyatt was right. They deserved better than where they were now.

"A little, but I think that can wait." Phoebe said standing. Chris looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"They said it was supposed to happen. They were so calm about it. Do you think they knew?" He asked. This question had Phoebe baffled as she sat back down, Chris taking a chair beside her.

"If they did, they never told me. But I think I might know who can answer that question."

"Who?" Chris asked, clearly not remembering who could possibly answer that. "The Angel of Death?"

"No." Phoebe told him. "Leo!" She called. The teen rolled his eyes. _'Oh, ok let's see what excuse he can come up with as to why he wasn't here when they needed him.'_ Chris thought. Leo formed right beside Chris.

"Yes Phoebe, what is it?" He asked. Chris felt like unleashing everything on him, but he also felt that they deserved an explanation.

"Did Piper and Paige know of their deaths beforehand?" Phoebe asked, her voice shaking slightly. Chris laid his hand on top of hers in reassurance.

"Why do you ask? Chris, is there something you'd like to say?" Leo asked seeing rage in his son's eyes.

"You bet there is!" Chris said standing so fast he knocked his chair on its back. "Mom and Aunt Paige both said that their deaths were supposed to happen! Why is that? She was your wife!" Chris yelled by now his entire body was shaking. "Couldn't you feel her life fading from her body?" Chris asked backing Leo into the counter.

"Chris, calm down!" Leo said, but Chris wouldn't budge.

"No, LEO! I will not calm down! They're dead...the Power of Three is gone forever because you weren't there!" Chris yelled. "Mom is dead because of Wyatt, the Twice Blessed Heir of Magic! Aunt Paige died trying to fight him!"

Leo couldn't say anything. Everything Chris just said was true. He wasn't there to protect them and now not only did his son and sister-in-law pay, but the entire world paid the price. They wanted to know why and he had to tell them...despite what it meant for him.

"To answer your question Phoebe, no, they didn't know what would happen to them exactly, but yes they did know. Piper knew how out of control Wyatt was becoming...so she..."

"No, you're lying!" Chris shouted, tears streaming down his face. "Mom would never agree to that...she wouldn't...she-" Chris felt someone's arms come around his waist and pull him backward until he was sitting. He looked up to see his aunt.

"I know how you feel, Chris, but let him continue." Phoebe whispered in his ear and he nodded.

"Chris, you're right. Piper wouldn't agree to that under normal circumstances, but this situation was everything but that."

"I know. She said even she couldn't reason with Wyatt anymore." Chris said. Looking at him, Chris realized there was more to why he didn't come than he thought.

"So Paige then..." Phoebe said as salty orbs began to fall from her eyes. "Did she agree to this too?"

"No, it was a mishap. Piper was supposed to be the only one. I couldn't come down, even if they would've called... if I would've come and saved them, Phoebe..."

"Wait, are you saying that it was one or the other?" Chris asked.

"Yes. But they also knew they weren't the ones to do this, you were." Leo said to them.

"What do you mean? Piper's his mom surely she could've done something..." Phoebe said. Realization hit Chris like thunder.

"I think she tried. I think she hoped that by dying the way she did, it would shock Wyatt enough to bring him back to the light." Chris said. Leo nodded. Chris pulled the Book of Shadows toward them, opening it to the last page.

"I still don't understand..." Phoebe said.

"Here Aunt Phoebe, read this. It might answer a couple of your questions." Chris said walking over to Leo. "This was why it was supposed to happen, wasn't it? So this power could be created?"

"Yes." He answered. "Only the two of you have a chance of bringing Wyatt back."

"Or according to this..." Phoebe said looking up. "Killing him. This just doesn't seem right. You sacrificed your wife for me? That just seems..."

"Crazy!" Chris said punching him in the face. To his surprise, Leo didn't move or restrain him.

"Christopher Halliwell!" Phoebe yelled almost jumping to her feet. "I don't ever want to see you do that again! Apologize now." She said firmly.

"Why?" Chris asked his anger and pain now evident as day. "He let them die! He...could've...at least...been there...for me. But no, Wyatt's the best isn't he? Just your pride and joy, isn't he? Is that what you think now? I sat there. I watched them die. What did you do?"

"Chris," Phoebe said laying a hand on his shoulder. "He's still your father and he deserves-"

"He deserves what, my RESPECT?" Chris asked turning toward her. "Aunt Phoebe, he just sat up there. Didn't even try! I have no father! You're Wyatt's father. He's your little angel, isn't he? Why don't you go be with him?"

"Chris, listen to me. If I had, I never would've been able to see you again. Actually, that's probably the truth now." Leo explained.

"So, you've broken the rules before to save all of us. Why's that any different now?"

"It just is...I've done a lot of things I shouldn't for my family. And now, I have to pay the price for it."

"You or us?" Chris asked beginning to orb out.

"No, Chris wait!" Phoebe pleaded. Chris shrugged her hand away.

"Forget it, Aunt Phoebe. I'm out of here." The teen witch said orbing out.

"Phoebe, I'm so sorry. Everything Chris said was right. I've never really been there for him. He's lucky he still has you." Leo said hugging her.

"I know. Hey Leo?" Phoebe asked stepping back. He reformed.

"What is it?"

"Are you allowed to see them?" Phoebe asked tying to wipe the streams from her face.

"Well, I'm not supposed to, but I do see your mom and Grams, so if you have something to say, I could tell them, and they could pass the message along."

"Tell them we love them, will you? All of them." She said sitting back down.

"I will, Phoebe, I promise." Leo told her orbing out.

"I wish I could just see you once more...to say goodbye. That'd be my only request. I felt what happened. I just didn't want to admit it. I miss all three you so much." Phoebe whispered closing the heirloom. She then rested her head in her hands.

* * *

_Up There_

_Piper rested an invisible hand on Phoebe's shoulder. She too wished that she could say something and actually be heard by her._

_"Do you really want to go, Piper?" She turned around to see her mom and Grams behind her._

_"I just don't think it's fair. Phoebe's trying to hide it so Chris won't feel bad and Chris is an emotional wreck from what Leo just said. I just want her to know that we love her." Piper answered. Grams waved an invisible hand over the Book of Shadows, opening it to the spell the girls always used to call her._

_"Do you really think she'll say it? She doesn't even have summoning candles, so how will it work?" Piper asked._

_"It'll work, dear. Her feelings will open the pathway." Grams said._

_"Don't doubt her." Patty told her. Piper nodded turning back to Phoebe.

* * *

_Phoebe looked through her fingers and saw the heirloom open to the spell for calling their grandmother and, at times, their mother. _'Why not?'_ Phoebe thought. _'Maybe Grams can tell me how they are.'_

"Hear these words,

Hear my cry.

Spirit from the other side,

Come to me when I summon thee,

Cross now the great divide."

Phoebe saw the lights flicker and white lights form in front of her in the middle of the room. She thought she was dreaming as her sister formed in front of her. She couldn't move or speak. She thought to call for Chris, but something in Piper's eyes told her that she was only here for her.

"Phoebe." Piper said walking over to her. She could tell by looking at her that her older sister was corporal, Piper even pulled up a chair beside her.

"But how?" was all she could manage to say as she leaned into her older sister's embrace, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Just for you. I know it hurts and this probably doesn't make it easier-"

"It does actually because now I get my wish." Phoebe said as she sat up looking into Piper's eyes. They looked as sad as her own. "But you're right. It still hurts. Can I ask one question?"

"You can, but I won't guarantee I have an answer." Phoebe nodded.

"Do you really think Chris and I can do this?" Phoebe asked. Piper placed her hand on top of Phoebe's.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have left. Yes, the two of you can do this. I know you can." Piper said managing a watery smile. "Well, I better get back." She said standing.

"Hey Piper?"

"Yeah, Pheebs?" Piper asked as Phoebe stood up.

"I love you guys...I..." Piper hugged her once more.

"We know. We miss you too. Chris needs you. You're all the other has now. We'll be watching. Goodbye, Phoebe." Piper told her as she let go and began to disappear.

"Goodbye Piper." Phoebe managed, wiping her eyes as her sister disappeared. _'Thank you Grams, Mom.'_ Phoebe thought.

* * *

_Up There_

_"Was that what you meant?" Patty asked as Piper reformed beside her._

_"Yes, thank you." Piper said hugging her._

_"You're welcome." Patty told her.

* * *

_**A/N:** So what do you think? Where did Chris run off to and now what'll happenen since Phoebe's read the passage? Stay tuned to find out.

Next Chapter: **Chapter 5: Feeling Lost**

Please R&R.

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	5. Feeling Lost

**Author's Note: **Hello, my fellow fanfiction readers and writers!! Here's chapter five for you.

I would also like to **give personal thanks** to: **Gabwr, TwilightLover4Eva, and Kizoku Seishin**, for thier kind and thoughtful reviews on the previous chapter. Thanks everyone!! Keep it up!!

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 5: Feeling Lost**

Chris sat on the bridge trying to sort out what Leo just said. It was hard to believe that his mom would agree to that, but at the same time, he understood why she did. When she said she couldn't reason with Wyatt anymore, she meant it. She tried to stop him, but he just blasted her back toward Paige, giving her the injury that eventually took her life. It wasn't fair! Any of it!

Chris knew it was dangerous to let his emotions fester up inside him like injuries, but he just didn't feel like telling his Aunt Phoebe how he felt. She was already in so much pain because of it. He was afraid that if he brought it up...she would blame him. He knew that wasn't the case...she told him that it wasn't really his fault, but he found it extremely difficult to convince himself of that. He knew he had to talk about it sooner or later, so he orbed back to his aunt.

He found her, in the kitchen, with her head resting in her arms, on the open Book of Shadows.

Phoebe just couldn't understand how all of this could be happening! They used to be happy and, somewhat, carefree, but then Wyatt became a warlock and it all just went downhill from there. He used to be such a happy boy...always helping innocents and witches, but, it seemed, ever since his 15th birthday things became painfully clear that he was changing, and not in a good way either.

Most would think being rude and disrespectful was just a teenager's way, and it is, for most, but for Wyatt it meant so much more.

After he gained those powers, Wyatt came to 'show off' what he'd learned. He called all four of them up to the attic and, with an energy ball, murdered their current innocent right before their eyes. Through her tears, Piper asked him why, and all he said was, "Because I can." After which, he left in black orbs. Phoebe remembered her older sister collapsing on the attic floor, unable to contain her fear of what that act meant for him and his family. She also remembered running toward her and her sister's tear-streaked face resting on her shoulder as she asked the questions they were all thinking: "Why would he do that? What's going on?"

It just continued to get worse from there. As much as they all wanted to say it was a phase, they knew better. _'And the worst he's ever done will always hurt.'_ Phoebe thought as her tears came in rivers and her body shook.

She couldn't help but wonder if she actually saw Piper or if it was just a trick of her mind to make her feel better. A day or so after she died she comes down to comfort her? It just seemed too weird...too soon. They weren't allowed to see Prue at all after she died, despite Piper's many attempts, so why would she come down now? If it was just a trick of her mind, she certainly didn't want to give Chris ideas. Either way, it did make her feel better and answer a couple questions. She decided to keep it to herself, unless, by some strange act, it happened again when Chris was in the room with her.

She was so wrapped up in her memories and pain that she didn't even notice Chris orb in beside her and sit next to her.

Chris could see her body shake, feel the table rumble, but he didn't know what to do. He was just as lost as she was without them there. Granted, she was more experienced with her powers than he was, but that never could stop her from pouring out the pain, anger, and sorrow her heart, especially now. He felt like she did, in every way. He laid his hand on her arm. Phoebe looked up, but neither said a word as she rested her head on his shoulder and continued to cry. Tightly, Chris put his arms around her letting her grieve, without saying a word.

She'd lost all three of her sisters now. He was all she had. And though he desperately wanted to go down to the Underworld and show Wyatt what he thought of him, he knew there was a very good chance that he could never come back and he couldn't do that to her. They depended on each other for strength and courage. For now, fighting demons took a backseat. Now, all that mattered was letting his Aunt Phoebe know that he wasn't going anywhere soon.

He remembered something his mom used to do for him whenever a demon scared him or he had a nightmare. Removing one hand from the tight embrace, he traced circles on her back. He was surprised this worked, but he thought he knew where his mom got that calming effect from and, if he was right, it was why his Aunt Phoebe's body no longer shook as much.

"Chris, please don't stop yet." She said in a whisper as he removed his hand, which sounded almost like drums in the eerie quietness of the room. "How did you know?" She asked as he continued.

"You mean this?" He asked. She nodded, positioning her head so it was against his chest. "M-mom used to do it on me when I was little." He said, his voice cracking a little. He was helping her now. He was her strength. He couldn't break now. Phoebe looked up to see that despite the teen's best efforts to keep his emotions contained, tears were beginning to roll down his cheeks.

"Chris?" She asked as salty orbs continued to fall from her eyes and she attempted to wipe his away. "Chris, please look at me." She said softly, but he didn't move, so she reached up and grabbed his chin and guided his face to hers.

He was trying, with everything he had, not to cry and was failing miserably. His emerald-green eyes held so much pain it was almost hard for her to look at him. As soon as his eyes met hers, he closed them tightly in an attempt to stop his tears, only making them increase. With her other hand, Phoebe began to try and wipe the endless streams from his eyes. As soon as her hand touched his cheek, Chris automatically opened his eyes, tears flowing even more rapidly than before.

"Hey, listen okay?" She asked and he nodded. "You don't always have to be strong, sweetie. I know how you feel because I feel exactly like you do. I've been through this before, but I don't know if it's ever hurt this much." Chris moved his other hand and resumed his hold on her.

"After Prue died and Paige came into our lives, that hole was still there, but it wasn't as deep. Prue was and always will be the oldest...that'll never change. I miss her, but when your mom was suddenly the oldest certain things seemed to fall into place for me. Granted, not all of them were good, but they needed to happen for me to realize what was most important to me." She said pulling back slightly.

"You mean Cole Turner right? The half-demon." He asked making sure he was following.

"Yes, he was one of the main people who made me realize...that..." Her hands dropped down to her sides. In an instant, her eyes seemed to be lost and she was back in his condo in the memory of his first vanquish some time after they were married and she was carrying the next Source. Chris tightened his grip.

"Aunt Phoebe, don't torture yourself with those memories. I already know. I asked Mom a long time ago. You don't have to relive them on my account." Chris told her as her wiped away the fresh tears that fell from her eyes.

Chris was at a loss as to what to say. He knew they were soul mates and that, because her sisters meant the world to her, she tried to vanquish him. 'Tried' being the key word here. It just seemed like no matter how many times they did, his love for her kept him coming back even after she wanted nothing more to do with him. Or at least that was what his mom and Aunt Paige told him. Sometime later, how long he didn't know, they finally did vanquish him, but he suspected that his Aunt Phoebe would never really be over him, that to some degree, she would always love him.

He knew what she was seeing, didn't know exactly when or where, but he knew in her mind she was picturing the last time she ever saw him. It was why her tears came a little quicker now and why he traced her cheek, wiping a tear or two away, as he did so.

"Aunt Phoebe...Aunt Phoebe..." Chris called seeing her eyes were clouded over, but got no response. 'Where is she?' He wondered.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"You evil son of a bitch." Paige told him.  
_

_**"**Phoebe, get out here and help us, damn it!" Piper yelled. Paige puts the crystals in an almost circle when Cole reappears._

_"Paige." Piper said, looking in her direction. Cole throws Paige against the wall._

_"Phoebe, you heard what he said, he's gonna kill us, help us!" Piper yelled._

_**"**Forgive me." She whispered._

_She comes in and Cole puts out a fireball that he was about to throw at her sisters.  
_

_**"**I'm sorry. It's for the best." Cole told her._

_**"**I know it is." She said kissing him and stepping back to place a crystal in the position to trap in the force field. "I'm sorry too."_

_**"**Phoebe, no. No!" He yelled as he realized what was happening._

_**"**I'm sorry baby. I'm so sorry." She told him as tears rolled down her face._

_"Prudence, Penelope, Patricia, Melinda..." Piper started to chant as fire appeared at Cole's feet._

_"Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace..." She said through tears._

_"I'll always love you." He told her._

_"Halliwell witches stand strong beside us..." Paige continued._

_**"**Vanquish this evil..." She said as tears came faster._

_**"**From time and space." She and her sisters finished as Cole was consumed by flames and exploded..._

_End flashback

* * *

_"Aunt Phoebe...come on, come back." Chris told her as he traced circles on her back again to try to bring her out of it. "I know that whatever you're seeing was hard on you, but it's over now. You don't have to worry about it anymore."

Chris kept wiping her eyes with his thumb as he tried almost desperately to bring her out of her memories. Whatever she was seeing had a strong hold on her.

"I love you too..." She whispered to someone after being virtually silent for about five minutes.

"Aunt Phoebe, hey...it's Chris, can you hear me?" He asked. Phoebe's eyes suddenly became clear again and she grabbed Chris's hand.

"Chris...I'm sorry...I was-I mean, I saw him." She answered as she brought his hand down to his knee.

"It's okay. Can you remember what you were saying?" He asked.

"Yes, I think so." Phoebe said as her tears ceased. "Cole taught me that my family means more to me than anything in the world and, after he was gone, I was able to focus more on all of you. It hurt to let him go because I thought he was the person I was supposed to spend eternity with. But, because I did, I'm a better person for it."

"Okay, but how does that help me?" He asked not quite sure what she was getting at.

"What I'm trying to say is that things happen. And when they do, especially things like this, you need to rely on those closest to you to help you get through it. You don't have to be strong for me all the time, Chris. You're only 14. Give yourself a chance to break and let your emotional walls come down, like I just did." Phoebe said as she sat upright in her chair. "And if you've got something to say to me, just say it. It's no use hiding that from me, sweetie, I can feel you miles away." She told him closing the Book of Shadows.

"I just-it's not fair! None of it! They shouldn't have...I could've...if Wyatt hadn't..." Chris tried to say, but couldn't finish a single sentence. Phoebe could see the emotions whirling around in his eyes, he didn't know how to feel.

"Chris, you don't know what might've happened if you would have done something differently. No one does. You were there for them when they needed you. That's what being a Halliwell means anymore, being there to help people when you have the chance and-"

"But I wasn't there for them! They died, Aunt Phoebe!" Chris said standing and walking to the middle of the room. "I was right there and...and I couldn't do a single thing to help them!" He said as his tears started again.

"But you did help them, Chris." Phoebe said standing and walking over to him, letting the quilt fall to the floor.

"Oh yeah, how? What did I do?" He asked harshly, but she knew he didn't mean it.

"They weren't alone. Chris, they could've died with no one here, who cared them, but you do and no matter how much it hurt to see them that way, no matter how much you probably wanted to run out of the room, you stayed because you love them. I don't know about them, but if it was me, I would be glad to have you there, so I didn't die alone." Phoebe finished. Chris turned around and fell into her arms. With her body still tired and shaky from crying, Phoebe didn't have the strength to hold him up, so they sunk to the floor.

His entire body shook with sobs. Phoebe knew he held a lot of things back for her, but that wasn't right. She knew he was only trying to help her, but in the process, he was only making it worse for himself. It wasn't normal for a young teen to lose his mother and aunt and not feel upset, anyone would.

Hers was on a different level. She'd lost her mother to a demon. Her grandmother had a heart attack and fell down the stairs, her oldest sister died at the hands of the Source's assassin, and now her other two sisters had met their ends at the hands of the most powerful witch in the world turned warlock.

What were their lives coming to?

"Chris..." Phoebe said after about fifteen minutes. He looked up at her. "I think there's one thing that we have to do today."

"Aunt Phoebe, I don't feel like-" He said through tears.

"I know. I don't really want to either." She said wiping his eyes. "But we'll both feel better if we do, you know that."

"Yeah, I guess." He said as they stood up.

"You take the Book with you and go get ready, okay?" She asked as she hugged him again.

"Okay. Leo!" Chris called. He materialized beside him.

"I'm surprised you called for me. What do you need?" He asked.

"I need your help moving them." He answered.

"Wait, how can you be down here?" Phoebe asked, walking over and picking up the quilt.

"The Elders figured this was why he called. Chris, I'll move them after you undo the spell. You won't even have to look at them, okay?" He said. Chris nodded. He orbed up to the attic, closed his eyes, and recited:

_"Let the object of objection return_

_So that it's existence may be reaffirmed"_

"I'm so sorry. But we'll fix this so it never happens again, I promise." He said upon seeing their unmoving corpses. He then orbed back downstairs.

"Okay, i—it's done…" He said stumbling over his words in realization of what he just did and why.

"Olay then, I'll do that. Call me when you're ready to go." Leo said and orbed out.

"W—what do we do now?" Chris asked. Phoebe walked up beside him.

"Now, we get this part over and done, so it doesn't torture us. After that, we'll just take it one step at a time. How does that sound?" She asked as they walked into the living room, Chris carrying the Book of Shadows.

"Yeah, that sounds good." He said as they walked upstairs to dress for the one thing they both dreaded…

* * *

**A/N:** So what do you think? What do you think the one thing is? Stay tuned to find out.

**I give credit for the flashback. See my profile.**

Next Chapter: **Chapter 6: Welcome to Our Nightmare**

Please R&R.

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	6. Welcome to Our Nightmare

**Author's Note: **Hello, my fellow fan fiction readers and writers! Yes, I'm finally back on this story again. I apologize for the wait. I've had other stories on my list (as some of you have probably noticed as I finally updated The Unexpected Power of the Future Power of Three).

I would also like to **give personal thanks** to: **Gabwr, charmed-darkangel, and wizmage**, for their kind and thoughtful reviews on the previous chapter. Thanks everyone!! Keep it up!!

And now for the next long-awaited chappie! I hope you like it!

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Haliwell

**Chapter 6: Welcome to Our Nightmare**

Chris stared at the article of clothing in his hand. Well, it wasn't exactly an article, more of an accessory. He thought it felt almost like it mocked him, saying that he finally had an excuse to wear it…a reason. _'Humph! Some excuse!'_ He thought as he threw it over his shoulder onto his bed.

He walked over to his mirror and stared at his attire. He was dressed in a black suit with a light blue t-shirt underneath. He thought about white, but decided against it as it might get demonic blood on it that was extremely hard to get out if they were attacked. Granted, it'd be that way with any color, but in general, he didn't like wearing white anyway (unless they were his socks, but no one would see them anyway).

He ran a comb through his drying unruly hair (even though he tried to get things into place when his hair was wet, it only seemed to work when his hair was about an hour from being completely dry) and smoothed it over.

His eyes were still slightly puffy from crying before he took a shower as he took his suit out of the closet. The same suit she gave him that day.

He managed a small smile as he thought about his mom's words at the exact moment he opened it.

"Someday, when you wear this on a date, you'll thank me." She told him. He'd rolled his eyes in disbelief, at first, thinking there was no way he'd ever wear it, but now he was glad he had something proper to wear to the burial.

His father and Aunt Phoebe hadn't even said anything about a funeral or eulogy, so he didn't think he'd have to say anything. He figured if anything was said, his father and aunt would take care of it.

Turning around, he walked over to his bed, sat down, and pulled on his socks and shoes.

He heard a knock at his door.

"Come in." He answered, looking up from tying his shoes. Leo opened the door and walked in. "I thought you told us to call you."

"Yeah, well I figured you might want help with this." Leo said picking up the article of clothing that Chris now noticed fell on the floor.

"Ugh…do I really have to? It's so…"

"Adult? Symbolizing?" Leo asked.

"Actually, I was going with ugly or repulsive, but that works too." Chris answered.

"A tie is repulsive…? Why?"

"Actually, never mind. Forget it." He said taking it from him. "Why are you here anyway?"

"It's your Aunt Phoebe, Chris. She won't answer me when I knock on her door. What's more, I don't think she's even begun to get ready for this. I can't reach her, but maybe you can." Leo said standing. "You're all she has now, Chris. Prove that you'll always be there."

"But I have been, Da—I mean, Leo. I have been there for her and she's always there for me. What more can I do?" He'd done all he could think of to help her. What else was there?

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Leo told him orbing out.

Chris realized that that was the first 'civilized' conversation the two had had since his mom and aunt died. He still didn't know why, or more, how he managed a polite conversation considering what happened. Maybe he just didn't need more on his mind than he had already. Sighing, he walked back over to his mirror.

"I wonder…would you like this outfit, Mom?" He whispered to his reflection as he grabbed the Book of Shadows and walked out of his room.

"Aunt Phoebe…?" Chris called after knocking on her door three times. He knew she wasn't in the bathroom because the door was wide open with no one there. He tried the doorknob, but found it locked. He couldn't hear anything so, even though he knew he was invading her privacy, he orbed in.

He reformed in her room, finding her lying on her bed facing the wall.

Chris noticed that she hadn't even dressed yet. A discarded towel lay on the floor next to her and she was wrapped in a fluffy white robe that was tied at her waist, her still-damp hair in tangles spread out on her pillow. He saw a long black dress slung over her computer chair, but other than that, nothing indicated that a burial was taking place today.

"I'm awake, Chris. You don't need to do that." Phoebe told him, her voice soft and strained from crying as Chris laid his hand on her shoulder to try to wake his seemingly-sleeping aunt.

"Aren't you going to get ready? Leo came by and asked me —"

"To make sure I was okay? That's just like him." Phoebe said, rolling over to face him. She looked either surprised or shocked by his attire, probably both.

"What?" He asked confused. Phoebe sat up, swinging her legs over the edge. Chris sat beside her.

"It's just…I've never seen you dress so formal for anything before. I guess I'd better go then." She said pushing her hair behind her ears.

"Wait, are you saying that you had no intention of going?" Chris asked. Although he wasn't that surprised with all she'd gone through, but he still thought she'd want go just to show she loved them. "Aunt Phoebe, you were the one who said we had to do this. You said it would —" He stopped in mid-sentence, seeing tears fall from her eyes.

"I know I said it would make both of us feel better, but…I just…don't know anymore. I've done this once before and it was nearly unbearable then, but now…" Her words were caught in her throat.

When Prue died it was hard on all of them, but then she had Piper, Leo, and soon Paige to help her through it…now it was different. Now she didn't have a sister to help her anymore. All she had was the young adolescent witch who sat beside her, trying desperately to hold in his anger, pain, and fear of what was to come. She was grateful she did have him with her, but at the same time, she wished she had someone else besides him too.

Chris put his arm around her and noticed her body was shaking. Chris figured she'd been trying to sleep it off, as he'd tried, but it hadn't worked.

"But now it's worse because I don't know what'll happen after this. It scares me, Chris. I never thought anything like this would happen now…" Now her doubts and fears were rising to the surface…all of them. "Am I going to —"

"No," Chris stated firmly, through tears, cutting off her sentence. "No, you won't…I'll make sure of it, Aunt Phoebe. " That was the one thing they didn't need now, especially her. "I miss them too, but I think we'll be okay…we just need to get through this day." Chris hadn't even noticed her holding his hand as he spoke and he took all the comfort he could in the simple action.

"Together, we'll be okay." Phoebe told him lifting her head from his shoulder and standing, never letting go of his hand.

"We have each other and that's what counts now." Chris said standing beside her, wiping her eyes with his free hand. "So, does this mean you're going to get ready?" He asked, letting go of her hand. It looked like she actually smirked. Chris knew the exact words that would come from her next.

"Not with you in here I'm not." She said laughing. Laughter was the sweetest sound in the world right now. Her laughter was his light in the dark. The sound of it made his heart beat lighter as he joined in walking out and closing the door behind him.

Her words stuck to his heart like glue: "Together, we'll be okay." _'Together,'_ Chris thought walking back into his room. _'I have her with me. I'll never be alone. We're in this together.'_ He picked up the tie as he passed his dresser on the way over to his mirror setting the Book on the floor beside him. Smiling, he placed it around his neck and tied it. _'I guess it doesn't look so bad after all.'_ He thought as he picked up the Book of Shadows and orbed downstairs to wait.

Reforming in front of the couch, Chris sat down and set the Book of Shadows on the table in front of him.

His hand unconsciously went into his pants pocket, gripping the chain of the charm his mother had given him on his fifth birthday.

_"Keep this with you…"_ She'd said. _"…and I'll never leave your side. Just call my name and I'll be wherever you are."_

Smiling, he pulled it out, dangling in within his line of sight, like a cat with a string. He remembered the first time he ever had to use it…vividly…

* * *

_He was sick with a mild cold and was home alone. Well, not exactly alone as his Daddy could be there when he needed him. He was six and playing in the attic. _

_Chris knew he wasn't supposed to play up there…just not exactly why. Besides, if his Mommy and aunties weren't there, then why would a demon have any reason to come?_

_ He saw some books on a shelf, so he decided to try bringing them closer with his telekinesis. He could move simple things like cookies, candy, and clothes, so why should a few books be any harder? He just had to remember what Auntie Paige told him and concentrate. Doing so, he motioned his hand toward him._

_The books moved outward on the shelf a little, but didn't fly toward him like he knew they should, so he tried again. This time he successfully managed to get them on the floor. He was about to try to bring them to him, when he heard a sound like fire._

_Turning around, he saw a demon with fangs across the room._

_"Well, well…" He said. "…and who do we have here? Trying to follow in mommy's footsteps, are you?"_

_Terrified, the young witch couldn't answer. He thought they wouldn't come if they weren't there. He tried to make a break for the door, but another demon shimmered in blocking his path._

_"I think this could be our lucky day." The second demon said._

_ 'What does he mean?' Chris thought._

_"If we destroy him, then we break up the next generation." The same one said._

_'D—destroy m—me? Why, what did I do to them? Why do they wanna hurt me?' He thought as they both advanced on him. All he could think of was the one person who could make anything better. He remembered what she said, and he hoped it would work._

_"M—M—Mommy!" He yelled._

_"Oh, how cute. Calling for Mommy? Well, she can't help you now." The first one said. _

_In an instant, Chris seemed to rise into the air as Piper formed right behind him, holding him._

_"Now, I don't think that's necessarily true now, do you?" Piper said. "Chris, hold on tight, okay?" He nodded, gripping her tighter._

_They started to shimmer out, but she was faster and blew them up before they could leave completely. She wrapped her arms around his shaking form again._

_"Shhh, it's okay now. They're gone. They can't hurt you." She told him gently, walking over to the bookshelf, seeing the light paper backs on the floor. "Hm, I wonder what they wanted with these."_

_"No Mommy," Chris said shaking his head. "I was pacticing."_

_"You—were?" She asked surprised, raising an eyebrow. She knew Chris loved magic, but she also knew that he was a little frightened to use it without someone there to supervise him._

_"Uh huh." Chris said, as he orbed from her arms to the middle of the room. "Is it safe again, Mommy?" He asked._

_"Yes, Chris. No more demons are here now." She told him walking over beside him._

_"Watch me, Mommy." She nodded. Chris closed his eyes for about five seconds, opened them again, and motioned towards him. They moved a little closer toward them. He looked to her and frowned slightly._

_"No Chris, it's okay. Try it again. I know you can." Piper encouraged."Paige." She whispered. She formed right in front of Chris. "No, I didn't mean—" But it was too late, Chris was so focused that he hadn't even noticed his aunt and hit her, rather hard, in her back with a book. "—there." She finished. Now noticing what he did, Chris hid behind Piper._

_"Alright, who did that?" She asked. Piper stepped to the side. Chris had his eyes closed tightly so he didn't notice._

_"Chris," Paige said, making him jump. He peeked through his hands. "Did you do that?"_

_"Uh—uh huh. I'm sorry Auntie Paige. I won't do it again." He said. She walked over to him._

_"Chris, there's a reason we tell you and Wyatt not to play up here." Piper told him. "Do you understand now?"_

_"Yes, Mommy."_

_"Chris, can you do that again?" Paige asked. She was impressed by his strength at such a young age, but they were the Blessed Sons after all, so she shouldn't be too surprised._

_"Do what?" Chris asked. "Move the books?"_

_"Yes, but this time I want you to try and move the next two off the shelf and over to you, okay?" She asked. Since their powers were directly tied to their emotions, it wouldn't be an easy task, but they both knew he could do it._

_"Is it okay, Mommy?" Chris asked, facing her. He knew she didn't want them to use magic unless it was absolutely necessary._

_"Yes, Chris. I want to see what you can do too." Piper told him._

_Chris closed his eyes and focused…

* * *

_

"Chris…Chris…" Phoebe called trying to bring him out of his memories. She'd been sitting there beside him for about five minutes now just staring at him wondering what he was thinking. She looked down and saw the little Triquetra on a chain that Piper had given him many years ago. Smiling, she remembered how excited he was when he opened it.

"D—Did I do that right, Auntie Paige?" Chris said softly, clearly still caught within his own thoughts. Intrigued, Phoebe asked a question.

"What do you mean, Chris?" She asked trying to find out more.

"The books didn't fly towards me. Am I using my power the right way?" He asked.

Now Phoebe remembered. _'He must be thinking of the day he first tried to use his powers outside school.'_ Not wanting to relive anymore and wanting to get this day over with, Phoebe tried to gently pull the chain out of the young witch's grasp. He woke with a start.

"No! It's mine!" He yelled like a child who was told to share his toys as he clutched it to his heart.

"Whoa, easy Chris, easy. It's okay." Phoebe told him as his memory faded and he realized he was sitting in the living room again.

"A-Aunt Phoebe?" Chris asked as his mind was still whirling. She nodded. "Oh I'm sorry. I was just …uh…caught in something."

"Yeah, I noticed…" Phoebe told him, laying her hand over the small charm on his leg. "Once we get this over with I have a feeling that we'll both feel a bit better."

"Chris, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked him as he untied his tie and laid it on the coffee table in front of them.

"I don't want to go, Aunt Phoebe." Chris told her.

"Why?" She asked, although she had a feeling she already knew. It was probably the same reason she had. He turned toward her.

"I can't go…if I go…and see them…it—it means that this isn't some horrible nightmare—it means that they're actually never coming back." He said, trying to wipe the endless streams of tears from his eyes.

Phoebe didn't know what to say. He was right, absolutely right. It wasn't like her sisters were going to get up and walk away. She couldn't really say much to make this easier to him or herself, for that matter. Even if she wished she could.

"I know. But it's the truth, Chris. And as much as it hurts to say this its true there really is nothing we can do. If there was anything I could do, I'd do it in a heartbeat, and you know that." Phoebe said as he looked her in the eye. He nodded.

"Sweetie, I know you don't want to go because that's what it's going to mean, but not going isn't going to make it not true. I know you know that just as well as I do." She said as Chris leaned over and laid his head on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I know that. It's just…what am I supposed to do if—if you…"

"Chris, I'm going to tell you what I want you to do."

"But I don't want it to happen!" He said as his tears fell faster.

"I know you don't, neither do I, but, just in case it does, I'm going to tell you now ok?" She felt him nod against her shoulder. She put her arms around him and pulled him up until their eyes met. "I want you to keep fighting, Chris. I never want to see you give in to him." She said as he wiped a couple tears away. "I want you to remember all of us…all the good we've done…keep it alive…keep me alive in your heart and fight until you can't fight anymore. Do you understand? Can you do that for me?"

"Yes." The sound of Orbing hit their ears and they looked to their right to see Leo.

"Ready?" He asked. Phoebe let go of Chris and stood, her black heels leaving impressions on the carpet and walked over to get a jacket, her dress moving as she pulled on one the same color as her outfit.

"Well, I am." Phoebe said, walking over to him. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Chris?" Leo asked.

"We'll be together…won't we, Aunt Phoebe?" Chris asked, avoiding Leo's gaze. Phoebe walked over to him.

"Of course, I'll always be here for you." She said, managing a small smile. "Are you coming?" She asked, extending her hand to him.

Chris knew they would get the proper burial they deserved, regardless if he was there. He grabbed the tie with his left hand, his Aunt Phoebe's with his right _tightly_, and all three of the Orbed out to the cemetery.

* * *

**A/N**: So what do you think? What'll happen at the burial? Will it be peaceful like it should be or will something (or someone) destroy what little they (Chris and Phoebe) have?

Please read and review.

Next chapter: **Chapter 7: Endings and Beginnings**

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	7. Endings and Beginnings Edit

**Author's Notes:** Hi everyone! I know I've already uploaded this chapter, but I've made a few changes to a couple things and grammar corrections. And yes, I am working on the next chapter.

My **personal** thanks to: Chrislover4ever, for reviewing the last chapter. (By the way, if you want to get thanks in the next chapter, you'll want to leave me a review, ok?)

Well, with that, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 7: Endings and Beginnings**

The clouds were overcast, and hid the bright sun. The grass was still damp from the light rain the night before. _'Even the atmosphere seems to know what will happen without the Power of Three, how much chaos will be created without it,'_ Phoebe thought.

The wind whipped at the trees and swirled the leaves off the ground catching tendrils of her hair that fell from her ponytail, which stuck to her face from streams of tears. Her breathing was shaky, ragged, and shallow.

Now it was sinking in…fully. If Phoebe Halliwell hadn't believed her sisters had died before, it was hard to fight the fact they were lying on the stone tablets, completely motionless, in front of her now.

She was hardly aware Chris and Leo were a little ways away on the grass behind her.

Her sisters reminded her of porcelain dolls. They looked so fragile, so pale. Their arms were crossed and laid on their stomach like they were protecting an unborn child.

She dropped to the damp ground in front of them, trying to will the image away…an image she knew would never leave her mind.

_'This shouldn't be happening, not now. I—it can't be, but I can't deny it either. Our lives are mixed in with death every day. It's not like this is the first time anything's happened…'_ she took another breath, '_but it is the first time someone i—in our family…'_ Phoebe couldn't even finish her train of thought.

She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be back at the house with them, watching TV while Piper made a batch of cookies, but she knew that could never happen.

The wind caught a piece of Piper's hair and laid it across her face. Shaking, Phoebe took her fingers and placed it back to the side, careful not to touch her sister's ice-cold skin. She didn't want the feel of her skin as part of this memory. After Phoebe moved Piper's hair out of the way, she saw droplets on her eyelids. She reached up and tried to wipe her eyes, but her tears wouldn't stop.

She didn't understand how it happened, but something pulled her into a Premonition.

* * *

She was sitting there just as she was now when she heard a familiar noise. She turned, seeing a fireball headed directly for her. Phoebe jumped out of the way, b—but it h—hit…

_

* * *

_"I don't care what it does to me…" Phoebe whispered through tears, "but there's no way in Hell I'm going to let you be hurt anymore…" Phoebe turned slightly, looking at Paige, "either of you."

Breathing was difficult for her now, as if the simple action caused her heart to be wrung agonizingly. Taking a few slow, deep breaths, Phoebe placed one arm under Piper's back, the other under her knees, and lifted her off the cold stone as she stood. Before she moved, however, Phoebe adjusted Piper so her head was against her chest.

"What is she do—" Chris was about to ask, but Leo interrupted.

"She had a Premonition…" was all he said and Chris knew exactly what she was doing.

She was doing what they'd always done: trying to keep it from happening.

She walked over to where Paige lay and sat to one side of her. She could almost see it happening and though there was nothing that could take their lives anymore, she wasn't going to let anything happen to their bodies.

They'd given their lives to protect her and Chris, so Phoebe figured the least she could do was protect them until they were laid to rest.

Her tears had stopped the moment she dropped beside Paige. She knew crying wouldn't do any good right now, but she knew she certainly wasn't finished either. It would let her guard down, something she didn't need right now.

A sound caught her ears. She turned to see a demon with fangs, holding a fireball, in front of her. Gently, she laid Piper beside Paige and stood, determined to keep the promise she'd made to them only moments before.

"Aunt Phoe—" Chris started, but Leo held him back.

"This isn't your fight, Chris. It's something she's always feared, in a way, and she needs to fight **alone**," Leo said.

He was uneasy too, but the only thing Phoebe feared more than her own death, more than their deaths, was not being able to protect them when it mattered. Her family was the most important thing in the world to her and Leo knew, from experience, that she'd go to Hell (and be willing to stay there) to keep them safe.

He threw it directly at her chest, hoping it would hit its mark. Phoebe, however, levitated and it ended up missing her, landing on the damp grass below. The demon gestured and from it brought at least ten—no twenty—more standing beside him.

She landed with a soft _thud_ on the grass.

"Okay Leo, now can I—"

"Don't just stand there," Leo shouted, "Go!"

Chris took of his jacket and handed it to Leo, immediately Orbing over to Phoebe.

"Hey, don't any of you know it's not nice to start a fight in front of the dead," Chris asked as he, using telekinesis, shoved the fireball that was thrown toward Phoebe back at him, vanquishing him. He and Phoebe were now standing sideways back to back.

"Aunt Phoebe, how many can y—ou—" Chris dropped to the ground.

"Chris," she yelled. Phoebe spun around and caught him before he fully hit the ground. His light blue shirt was stained in blood.

"Is—is this—it," she asked as she felt pain in her chest, then side, her arms, her legs. Phoebe had absolutely no idea how she managed not to scream at this point, "Is this how it's supposed to happen," Phoebe cried. Chris was still conscious, but he was losing color fast.

"Wh—what's gonna h—happen now, Aunt Phoebe," Chris asked as he struggled for breath.

"What am I supposed to do," she cried as they continued to advance on the two…

* * *

**Author's Notes:** What do you think of my corrections? I know, I know it's short, but don't worry, I have a plan. *Grins*

So what do you think will happen? Chris is down, Phoebe's in too much pain and shock to fight back... Will they get out of this fight alive? Give me your thoughts and ideas, please!

{Please read and review!}

Next chapter: **Chapter 8: Picking Up Threads**

Until the next update or one-shot, I hope you all have a good day or night and I'll "see you" later!

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	8. Picking Up Threads

**Author's Notes:** Hi everyone! I finally finished this chapter! Yay (applause in background)!

My **personal** thanks to: Draco's-Loyal-Longing, xXFan-FanXx, DH1994, piperspeanut, pelori, yasmine10194 and Talus, for reviewing the last chapter. Wow, guys **over 30 reviews**! Please keep it up!

I think this might be the longest chapter I've written for this story so far!

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 8: Picking Up Threads**

The horde of demons was about five feet away from them and, to Phoebe's horror, they crept closer and closer. She was surprised they hadn't snuck up behind her and plunged an Athame into her back and wondered, vaguely, why they hadn't. It would be easiest, wouldn't it?

* * *

_Up There_

_Prue and Paige held Piper's arms tight, but she was fighting everything they did, what they said._

_"No, let me go," she shouted struggling, "I'll take 'em! They'll never see the light of day again," she yelled struggling so much Prue thought she would've ended up pulling her shoulder out of its socket, if she was alive of course, "I won't let them die this way!"_

_"Piper, calm down. They're not going to die…well, not now," Prue told her. After hearing reassurance in her voice, Piper's attempts to break free ceased._

_"H—how do you know, Prue? You don't have Premonitions?"_

_"No, she's right," Paige pointed out. "Watch."_

_The sight they saw next shocked everyone, the ones there and those watching…

* * *

_She looked down at her dress which was now stained in, not only her blood, but Chris's as well. Phoebe noticed her breathing become shallower with each struggled breath she drew.

"Chris…Chris, come on," she said shaking him slightly. "Please stay with me, sweetie…" she called brushing his hair out of his eyes as he opened them weakly.

"Aunt Ph—Phoebe…I—I can't move…" he breathed as she pulled him closer.

The demons were mere inches from them when black orbs appeared in front of them. From them, formed the nephew and brother of them who had the power to strike fear into anyone who met his fierce gaze or said his name.

"I SAID NOT TO TOUCH THEM," he yelled forming energy balls and vanquishing the demons closest to them. Upon seeing the fate of their comrades, the others shimmered out.

"W—Wyatt…" Phoebe gasped.

Why was he here? He'd done enough already.

Wyatt tried to pull Chris away. She pulled Chris as close to her as she could get him.

"No," she told him. "I won't let you hurt him. He's your brother Wyatt."

"Aunt Phoebe," Wyatt said running his hands over her bare arms and legs, healing them, but strangely, he couldn't heal anywhere else…well not completely. "I'm not here to hurt you. I could never hurt—"

She cut in, "Oh, so you can't hurt me," she said standing shakily. She crossed her arms over Chris, "But yet you can murder your mother? That's perfectly logical," she remarked sarcastically.

"Aunt Phoebe, I—" he began grabbing her arm. She shrugged him away.

"No, Wyatt, no! You've got no right to call me that! Not after what you did," she yelled.

In her arms, Chris stirred.

"Au—Aunt Phoebe…can't…breathe…" he gasped. Wyatt brought his hands up over him. He looked at her. His eyes weren't cold or ruthless, yet they weren't seeking forgiveness. It was almost like he wanted a challenge.

She moved her arms to hold Chris in a different position, nodding to Wyatt. He healed Chris, who stood in front of Phoebe.

"Wyatt, why are you here? Going to kill us too so no one can stand against you," he asked cruelly as Phoebe fell forward to the ground.

"Aunt Phoebe," the two boys chorused.

Chris tried to heal her, but it didn't work, "What's going on? They were simple demons. This shouldn't be difficult."

"True. I tried to heal her. I could only start it…" Wyatt said.

Phoebe smirked. The two looked at her confused. "You're still brothers. Even if Wyatt is evil, your combined powers are still Halliwell."

"Together," Chris asked, holding out his hand. Deep down, they both knew part of Wyatt was still on their side.

"Yeah," Wyatt told him, taking his brother's hand as the two placed their opposite hands over Phoebe's chest. The golden glow spread over the wound. It worked slowly, probably because of Wyatt, but about five minutes later she was completely healed.

Chris pulled her to her feet, "Wyatt, why are you here? It wasn't to save us. I know that much," Phoebe said.

"Why do you say that," he questioned, crossing his arms and staring at his mother's corpse. "Maybe I just felt like saving people I still care about…"

"Oh, give it up. You don't care about us," Chris said, stepping in front of Phoebe. "You don't care about us or them. What? Do you feel sorry for us now," he asked harshly. "It's a bit too late for that, don't you think," he asked, finding the spot Wyatt was staring at.

Chris immediately blocked her from view. "Out of the way, Chris," Wyatt said stepping up to him, but he wouldn't budge.

"No," he told him, suddenly finding himself on the damp grass, directly in front of Piper's corpse. A warm wind caught his hair. In an instant, he knew she was there and with her hand on his shoulder, he rose. A smirk was on his face.

"Out of my way!"

"Make me," he said venom seeming to drip from the honorable words.

Phoebe wasn't sure what happened after that, but both boys were on the cold ground. Wyatt was sitting on top of Chris's chest punching him while Chris was trying his best to use telekinesis to throw Wyatt across the courtyard off of him.

Watching them though, she had an overwhelming urge to pull Wyatt off him, but thought better of it. She knew she was strong enough to handle "Wyatt", but not too sure about him since he turned.

"THAT'S ENOUGH," Phoebe yelled, instantly tapping Chris's powers, throwing Wyatt into a nearby tree with a _thud_. She pulled the shaken teen to his feet, wiped blood off his face and looked him in the eye. "Anything broken?"

"No, Aunt Phoebe, I'll be fine," he told her rubbing his head. Wyatt jumped down and walked over to them. Chris noticed her eyes were closed tightly and she was shaking…

* * *

_Up There_

_"Wow," Piper said as she took her hand off Chris's shoulder._

_"Oh okay," Paige said. "That was why you warned me not to get Phoebe mad then."_

_"Exactly, although I highly doubt she would've tried to hurt you," Piper answered, "But I'm surprised she's not crying."_

_"There's no time to. Not with Wyatt there," Patty said walking up behind her. "She knows her and Chris's safety comes first."_

_"Though I don't think I've ever seen her actually 'shake' with rage before…" Prue commented._

_"It's not rage, well not exactly," Grams told them. "Look at her hand…"_

_"And her eyes," Patty added._

_"She's got a new power," Prue said._

_"Looks more like a power advancement from the Electro Mental Ignition that she had in the future, doesn't it," Piper asked. Prue nodded._

_"What do you mean? When did you go to the future," Paige asked._

_"It's a long story, but then we've got all the time in the world," Prue answered._

_"Now might not be a good time though," Piper reasoned. _

_Paige just shrugged and continued to watch…

* * *

_"Aunt Phoebe," Chris said.

"Well, where did that come from? I never knew you had that power…" Wyatt said from about five feet away.

Phoebe opened her eyes and Chris noticed they were identical to the color of the lightning in her hand. He thought, in a way, it looked like she was having a Premonition. _'But wait, her Premonitions don't cause this type of reaction.'_ He also noticed what looked like lightening forming in her right hand.

"Chris, protect your mom and aunt," Phoebe told him strangely calm.

"But Aunt Phoebe—" he tried to protest.

"Don't question me," she spoke harshly. "Just do it!"

Slightly shocked at the amount of authority she was taking (and the lightning), Chris backed away and over to them, seeing Wyatt inch closer.

"Wyatt, why can't you just leave us alone to pick up the pieces of this family that we have left?"

"Family," Wyatt asked walking closer. "What family? Oh, you mean the one I shattered?"

"WYATT," Chris shouted. "Leave us alone, NOW," along with the last word Chris flipped his wrist, sending a telekinetic shockwave that knocked Wyatt off his feet. Furious, Wyatt stood and, with his hand cupped, walked toward Chris.

Suddenly, Chris found himself gasping for air and trying to get the invisible hand off his neck that was slowly closing off his airway. Chris was raised off the ground and he flailed his legs and clawed at his neck.

Wyatt felt a prick on the back of his neck. At first, he thought nothing of it as it didn't hurt, but he soon realized the more he chocked his brother the more painful it became. Gritting his teeth, he slowly turned back toward Phoebe, finding her with a lightening whip in her hand.

"Let. Him. Go." she told him, as it wrapped around his hand tightly.

It felt like a thousand needles were piercing—no going completely through and out the back of—his skin. His entire body was in red-hot pain, though the focus of it was the wrist that he was trying to hold onto Chris with.

His eyes were closed tightly and his jaw was clenched together in pain to keep Wyatt from the satisfaction of hearing him scream (he knew it would encourage his Aunt Phoebe, but didn't think she needed more that she had).

Chris felt his body was numb, but he noticed Wyatt's hold becoming looser. He opened his eyes to slits and saw his Aunt Phoebe, her hands on what looked like a whip of lightning, trying to pull Wyatt's hand away from him.

Wyatt pulled and pulled at the whip in an attempt to loosen it. All it did was tighten it. Tighten it until he felt his skin break and saw his own blood. He smirked and looked back to Chris.

"You know, Chris, I could make all this go away with one word. All you have to do is say it. I'll stop coming after Aunt Phoebe. Stop coming after you. Although, you'd be with me, so there'd be no reason to come after you anymore," Wyatt said as he resumed his tight grip.

"Chris," Phoebe yelled. He found his vision blurry before, so he'd closed his eyes again. Her voice seemed closer than moments before. "Chris, listen to me! I don't care how many demons he sends after me! All I care about is you, Chris," he opened his eyes, "you and trying to fulfill what Piper said." Upon hearing those words, the fourteen-year-old's tears that he was holding in an effort to be brave gave way.

She was mere inches from him, but didn't move. Phoebe knew Chris believed what she said, but he couldn't move. Not even nod his head, he was in so much pain.

"This might hurt," she mouthed in his direction. He blinked in response as she formed a ball in her other hand and placed it at the end of the whip.

Chris saw the whip absorb it as it went up and over to Wyatt's wrist making him drop to the ground screaming in pain, releasing him. He fell to the wet ground with a _thud_, gasping for air. Phoebe ran to him.

Wyatt looked at Phoebe, "Why you horrible, selfless…" Not wanting to hear anymore, Chris, now in Phoebe's loving, protective arms, though still catching his breath, flipped his wrist again sending another, more powerful, telekinetic shockwave at him.

"Get out of here," he shouted, "NOW," he said shoving him backwards with telekinesis and resting his head on Phoebe's shoulder.

Wyatt Orbed out.

He didn't know how long he sat there, just taking comfort in her arms. Neither one thought to wear a watch. It could've been minutes or hours for all he knew.

This wasn't the first time Wyatt tried to kill him, wouldn't be the last (definitely not the last), but it was the first time he'd given Chris an ultimatum: Join him and Phoebe wouldn't suffer, wouldn't die.

While Wyatt's "offer" was tempting, because she was the only family he had left, he couldn't do it. They had to get through this together if they had any chance of fulfilling what his mom said, what the Book said.

"Hey Aunt Phoebe," Chris asked after he regained feeling in his entire body. He could feel his eye swelling from Wyatt's repeated punches and knew it needed ice, but, at this point, didn't care too much.

"Hm," she asked as tears graced her face.

"Now what do we do?"

"We can't just leave them exposed like this," she said standing.

"Yeah, I guess not, although that was definitely enough demonic disturbance for one day," he said walking over to where she was standing right in front of her sisters.

"And shock. I never would've thought he'd save us," she said resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe part of him that we know is still there," Chris said as he dropped to his mom's side, picking her up.

"Chris, you don't need to—"

"I don't you doing anything," he bit back. Anger still there from what Wyatt did to him. Phoebe stepped up beside him.

"Just because your brother came here—and tried to kill us—that doesn't give you the right to take it out on me!"

"You know, I—" he sighed. He couldn't talk rationally to her now—not when he was still confused and fuming over Wyatt's actions. He'd explain later and hopefully, then, she'd understand, "how about we just finish this now," he said as she helped him lower Piper beside Prue, and covered the casket with the stone lid she was resting upon. They then proceeded to do the same for Paige, but laying her beside Patty.

"Aunt Phoebe, I'm—"

"Don't," she said.

"But we need to—"

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE," she yelled dropping to her knees between them. Chris Orbed out of her line of sight.

He reformed where Leo used to be, watching her. Now she was realizing what was happening. He thought the demons that showed up deterred it (not to mention Wyatt) quite a bit.

"She can't say out here, Chris," he looked up to see Leo beside him again handing him his jacket, "something else will happen."

"Like what," he bit, "what else could be worse than what just happened?"

"Do you want to find out," he asked.

Shaking his head, Chris slipped his jacket back on, "She's not happy with me, Leo. I don't think I'll be able to get her back to the Manor," he looked up at him. His eyes looked so broken. Chris knew he wanted to help, but the Elders wouldn't let him, "could you?"

"No, you have to."

"She's not gonna like it."

"No, but she'll be grateful to be out of this rain."

_'Rain,' _Chris thought,_ 'It was raining,'_ how had he not noticed it? Granted it wasn't a heavy downpour and the wind hadn't picked back up but still.

Cautiously, he walked back over to his Aunt Phoebe. Careful not to scare her, Chris placed a hand on her shoulder. She surprised him. Instead of trying to get away, she stood up and put an arm around him. He noticed how much she was leaning on him though, so he figured she'd tired herself out.

"To bed," he asked getting a better grip on her.

"Yes, please, or the couch," she agreed as they left the courtyard and went home.

They reformed in the living room surprised to see a young visitor, Chris was surprised anyway. Phoebe's movements were rigid and her mouth dropped open in shock…

* * *

**A/N: **So, what do you think?

I know it's kind of weird to bury them this way, but I thought this chapter needed something out of the ordinary and I thought this worked.

So whose their surprise visitor? I'm interested to see your guesses.

Next chapter: **Chapter 9: ??--Enemy or Ally?**

**Please R&R.**

**Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell  
**


	9. Phoenix—Enemy or Ally?

**Author's Notes:** Wow, last update was… 06-26-09…good lord! I'm sooooooooooo sorry! I promise I haven't forgotten about this. I just have others pop into my head [for examples see "Released", "Choices", "Accepted", "Longing for Comfort" ect…, "Long Night" oooh and my latest one, "For my Mother"].

***bites nails*** I really hope you guys will continue to read this. I've been really preoccupied with "Heaven's Mistaken Gift" which is, get ready…are you ready yet?...how 'bout now? A Phoebe x Cole fic! I never thought I'd write one, but its turning out great! That70sShowLova is an awesome co-writer and I highly recommend her fics too!

My **personal** thanks to: iHATEfangirls, Leonie1988, That70sshowlova, Draco's-Loyal-Longing, piperspeanut, for reviewing the last chapter. Wow, guys **over 40 reviews**! Please keep it up!

Like I said, I really hope you guys keep reading! Please? For cookies? Ice cream? Candy?

Anyway, I'll quit rambling!

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 9: Phoenix—Enemy or Ally?**

"Hello Phoebe," the woman said from her position on the couch. "You're looking well."

"Aunt Phoebe, do you know her?" Chris asked, but Phoebe was still paralyzed with shock. "Aunt Phoebe?" Chris called, waving a hand in front of her face. Still getting no response, he grabbed her arm tighter and orbed her over to a chair.

Once her body fully hit the chair she was sitting in, Phoebe seemed to come back to life. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?" she seethed.

"So you do know her?" The teen asked.

"Yes, of course I know her," she answered.

"Then who –"

"Go upstairs and change, Chris."

"But Aunt Phoebe, I –"

"Now," she said in the dangerous, yet familiar tone that meant she didn't want him involved. Taking one last glance at both of them, he Orbed upstairs.

"I'll ask you once more," Phoebe said, forming lightning in her right hand, standing. "What the HELL are you doing here? He told us you died!"

"What makes you think I'm the _exact_ same woman? That was years ago, Phoebe."

"How else would you know who I am?" she asked.

The woman stood, a smirk etched into her features. "You're right, Phoebe. I did die, or, at least, as far as everyone knew I did. Wyatt needed me, so he brought me back from that time to this one."

"But not even magic can bring a person back to life, so how –"

"There are more timelines than the two you know of. Chris and I came from one completely different from yours now."

"You're saying this because?"

"I told you that Wyatt needed me. It's not his evil side he was referring to."

"Y – you mean…no, that's just…"

"He does love me. He did then too, but it was a sadistic kind of love. I suppose I was drawn to Chris because he was Wyatt's polar opposite. I loved him for who he was – inside and out. Wyatt ordered me to bring him back. I refused. He then convinced me by saying that if I didn't, he would go back in time and prevent anyone from interfering."

"Interfering?" Phoebe laughed slightly dark. "You mean to tell me he would've gone back in time and murdered us all, even before Chris was born?"

"With what you saw in Chris's eyes whenever the two of you were alone and his mission to save Wyatt came up, are you surprised? He must've hinted at something, surely…"

* * *

_Phoebe had just gotten off work and stepped into the Manor, finding Chris on the couch. She sensed that he was uneasy about something other than finding out who was after Wyatt._

_"Hey Chris," she said sitting beside him._

_"Hi Aunt Phoebe," he said in almost a defeated tone._

_"What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing, just tainted memories. Reasons I had to come back here."_

_"What is it? I thought you were just here to save Wyatt from turning evil?" she asked, shedding her jacket on the couch beside her._

_"No, it's more than that…"_

* * *

"He said Wyatt threatened him not to come back, but he did anyway. What does that have to do with you?"

"Haven't you noticed how unpredictable Wyatt can be?" Bianca asked. "How there seems to be no end, no temporary cork in his bottled-up madness? What's missing?"

"How the _Hell_ am I supposed to know?" Phoebe said with fire in her eyes. "I wasn't around him when he was younger…"

"Until now. Think…"

Phoebe knew there was a reason to Bianca being here. Chris didn't recognize her, but that was probably a god thing – considering what happened. The sooner she was out of here the better. "You're here in this timeline too, aren't you? Can't you control him?"

She bit her lip. "As I said before, the timelines are very different," she sighed. "No, I can't. Here, in the time, my mother was killed before I was born. I had to come back to shelter Wyatt, but he doesn't know who I am yet."

Phoebe backed up. "Wait, if you're on Wyatt's side…"

"No, I'm not. This shouldn't happen. No one should have to see that. I was thinking maybe I could–"

"Be a spy?" Chris asked as he walked into view.

"Yes, I—"

Phoebe interrupted her. "Are you out of your mind? The last thing I need is for my nephew to have his heart broken _again_!"

"Whoa, Aunt Phoebe what are you talking about? Again? I don't even know her!"

"Maybe I should let you to talk this through," Bianca said.

"Yeah, you should," Phoebe said coldly. "Get out!"

"All right. My name's Bianca. When you've made a decision, yell for me," she said as she disappeared in a red light.

"Aunt Phoebe, what was that about?" Chris asked.

Phoebe sat on the couch and gestured for Chris to join her. "There's something you need to know…about everything."

"And that is?"

Phoebe proceeded to tell the story surrounding the year before he was born. Wyatt was the same in that future as he was here.

"Okay, let me get this straight. In his timeline, his Aunt Paige dies when the Titans were released, then the future version of me came to this time and warned all of you Wyatt was an evil tyrant who killed innocents and witches?"

"Yes," she said grimly. "And that girl–"

"Bianca?"

"Yes, Bianca," she said through gritted teeth as though her name meant death. "She was in love with you. You gave her Piper's ring as a symbol you'd go back to her. She came back looking for you…"

"And, let me guess, things didn't go as planned?"

She nodded, remembering the pain she was able to feel from his future-self. To save him, to save their world, she nearly killed him. She held a knife to–

"Aunt Phoebe?" Chris asked.

She blinked and was thrown out of her memories. The pain her older nephew had felt – it was so real. The last thing she wanted was for her nephew here to experience the same thing. "Chris, you don't understand…" she whispered, "we can't trust her."

His green eyes flashed as if he knew the terrible thing that had almost happened, but still he asked. "Why not? She seems nice enough."

"Sh – she tried to kill you – kill Piper before you were born," Phoebe stood, walking over to the stairs. "I'm sorry, but I just don't think it's a good idea," she scaled the stairs to take a hot shower.

"She tried to kill me?" he whispered to himself. He thought it was a good idea for Bianca to infiltrate Wyatt's – let's see, army? No. He didn't have an army yet. Lair? Yeah, lair worked. – to see what was going on, and report back to them, but with what his Aunt Phoebe said about her…

"Bianca!" Chris called.

She formed behind the couch. "Yes?" she asked and he jumped. She laughed walking into his sight. "Sorry," she sat beside him. "From your anxious look, you've either made a decision on your own, or you have something to ask me."

He hesitated. He was trying to find out what happened, thought maybe that could help now. "Did you really try to kill my mom?"

Bianca avoided his gaze. He was still Chris, young or not, and she couldn't help how she felt. "Yes, but I thought I could solve this problem. You convinced me that it wouldn't do any good. That if you were dead, who would come to warn them about Wyatt?"

He scoffed. "Lot of good that did!" he crossed his arms.

She could feel resentment radiating from him. "But it was good, Chris. If he – well, really you, but for the sake of confusion, I'll use the pronoun – if he hadn't come back, the Power of Three wouldn't have lasted as long as it did."

"Because Aunt Paige was turned to stone and Mom and Dad split up?" He asked, biting his bottom lip. She nodded, finally getting the guts to look him in the eye. _He's just like I remember, but younger._

"So you said you're from a different time right?" she nodded. "How did you get here and why? Why did Aunt Phoebe say 'He told us you died'?"

"_Why_ isn't important _now_, but _how_ I got here is interesting."

* * *

_"Bianca, No!" Chris yelled as he ran over to her, seeing wood lodged in her stomach._

_"Guess I w—won't see you when you g—get back," she gasped, removing the ring and handing it to him._

_"Bianca, I—" What was he supposed to say? 'You'll be all right, the object protruding from your body is nothing?'_

_"Chris," she gasped. "Go now!" he nodded as her world went black._

_Bianca felt like she was floating and saw light through her closed eyes._

_She opened them to see crystal ones. Instantly, she knew who he was, but he looked – different. His eyes were light and he was smiling genuinely as he extended his hand to her. She took it and joined in on what looked like endless nothingness._

_"W—Wy—Wyatt?" she asked, gasping for air._

_"Yes, Bianca," he said as she could feel herself breathing normally._

_"What? Where am I?"_

_"I think its kinda Heaven's version of Purgatory, but I'm not sure. I brought you here for a reason. I need you to go into the timeline Chris created 14 years from now."_

_"14 years? Why that long?"_

_"The evil version of me has no Bianca in that timeline," he hesitated. "He killed your mother before you were born."_

_"You want me to help him?"_

_"No, I want you to help Chris, and, uh, here. This might come in handy," he said, handing her two vials._

_"What is it?"_

_"When the time is right, you'll know."_

* * *

Of course she left the part with the vials out, being as she still had no clue what they did.

Chris stared. Now if he was anyone else, she would've punched him, but the way he looked at her…

She brushed it off. "So," she cleared her throat. "What else do you want to know?"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Phoebe turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping a towel around herself as she looked in the bathroom mirror.

Her eyes were still puffy and her nose red, but she'd expected that. A sparkle caught her eye. Looking toward the sink, she placed her hand carefully over Piper's diamond earrings. How Leo had gotten money for diamonds, Phoebe had no idea, but Piper sure had smiled when she opened them…

* * *

_"Me next! Me next!" Chris chanted excitedly, handing her a box wrapped in sparkling green wrapping paper. "Happy Birthday, Mom!"_

_Feeling how heavy the gift was, Piper knew better than to shake it. "Wow, this is heavy," she said, unwrapping it to reveal a brown cardboard box. She tore an edge open to reveal a new set of knives. "Thank you, Chris! I love it!"_

_He smiled._

_"Hey Chris," Wyatt said, walking back into the room with something in his arms covered by a blood-red blanket, "looks like we forgot one."_

_"Oh yeah, but this is for all of us, not just you," he informed as Wyatt set it on the coffee table._

_"All of us, huh?" Paige asked._

_"I wonder…" Phoebe said as the three of them threw the blanket off the present to reveal a set of – what looked like – 24 vials._

_"Wow, boys," Piper said. "These look brand-new."_

_"They are," Chris said. _

_"Where'd you find them?" Phoebe asked. "I've looked all over."_

_"You must've had to go incognito then," Paige said laughing. They looked at her oddly. "It wouldn't look good if 'Ask Phoebe' was seen in a Wiccan shop, after all."_

_"True, but there are ways around that," Phoebe said._

_"Where did you get them?" Piper asked._

_Both boys were silent. Nothing good would come from telling the truth, but if they lied, boy would they be in trouble._

_"I'm waiting," Piper said._

_Chris gave Wyatt a little shove. "You tell her."_

_"Why me?"_

_"It was your idea. I got her knives," Chris said, smiling innocently._

_"No, you tell her. She won't thump you," Wyatt shot back._

_"Either one of you tells us where you got these, or both Paige and I will hold you down," their Aunt Phoebe threatened._

_Wyatt turned to her, "You wouldn't."_

_Paige smirked, shedding her jacket, "Try us."_

_"Where did you get them?" Leo asked. Chris jumped. He hadn't been there five minutes ago._

_"Well, aren't you an All-Knowing Elder? You tell us where we got them?" Chris snapped. Wyatt put his hand on his shoulder._

_"Chris, come on, it's Mom's birthday," he whispered into his ear. "Can't you try to be civil, for her?"_

_The younger Witchlighter's hands shook, but he nodded, staying silent._

_Sensing Chris was about to lose his cool, Wyatt took the heat as he looked Chris in the eye. "We went down to the Underworld and bought them from a very low-level demon."_

_"You shouldn't have gone—"_

_WHAM! Chris couldn't hold it back anymore as his "father" hit the wall._

_"I'm sorry, Mom," he apologized quickly, "but it seems like you're the only one he bothers to pay attention to anymore."_

_"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asked._

_"Normally, I wouldn't agree, but Chris is right," Wyatt spoke up. "He won't even come for me anymore. And he taught me to heal."_

_Leo stood and walked over to sit beside Piper. "You're old enough. You shouldn't be calling for me," he pulled out a small box from his pocket. "Here Piper," he said setting it on the arm of the chair._

_"Oh, leaving so soon?" Chris bit._

_"It's my job. I have no choice."_

_"It's mine too, but my family comes first," Paige said as he Orbed out._

_"Thanks Wyatt, for saying it," Chris said._

_Wyatt sighed. "As you said, it was my idea."_

_"Boys," Piper said. Her voice wasn't angry or even upset, so they turned to her, still expecting to be punished in some way. "Thank you, just please next time you go to get something like this, at least tell Paige."_

_"Yeah, I can get you out of there in a second and keep a secret," Paige said, while staring at Phoebe during the last half of the sentence._

_Phoebe sighed. "Yeah, yeah."_

_"So you're not mad?" Chris asked._

_Piper's hand covered the small velvet box he'd left. "Mad? No. Unnerved? Yes. Did you vanquish him afterwards?"_

_Wyatt laughed._

_"What's so funny?" Paige asked._

_"We bought them weeks ago. Don't you think if we hadn't they would've attacked by now?"_

_"Besides, we were the only ones there and we took care of them," Chris said._

_Piper grabbed the velvet box and had tears in her eyes as the light hit what was inside._

_"Piper?" Phoebe asked. "What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing…just—look," she held the box to show them._

_Phoebe's mouth dropped. "Di—diamond earrings? How did he—?"_

_"I don't know."_

_Chris smiled. At least Leo wasn't forgetting everyone's birthday…_

* * *

The feeling of her shaking limbs brought Phoebe from her memories. Piper had received these earrings a year ago, when Wyatt wasn't showing any signs of being evil. He'd even been the protective older brother by taking the heat, by saying it was his idea to get the potion vials.

But, Phoebe supposed, to some point, he always would be. No matter what kind of trouble the boys got themselves into, they always has each other's backs.

Now though, Phoebe knew, how torn up Chris was becoming inside. Wyatt was always the one who protected him—took the fall if things got too bad, but it was different now. Wyatt wasn't the protective brother or Whitelighter anymore. He'd become a murderer—a murderer who cared—but a murderer nonetheless. As Phoebe retied her robe and walked into her bedroom she wondered if that was even possible.

_A murderer with a soul? Does that mean he's just lost his way?_ She wondered as she walked into her room and closed the door.

"I suppose I should go see Chris," she said aloud, pulling a pair of sweats on and a white t-shirt. "And since I know I can't keep them apart, I'd better see what they have planned."

She walked down to the living room, seeing them seated on the couch.

"Oh uh, I'll just—" Bianca began, but Phoebe held up her hand.

She forced a smile. "I suppose if you went through all this trouble the very least I can do is hear you out," she said, sitting beside Chris, "but if you, even remotely, try to have us killed, I'll serve your still-beating heart on a silver platter to the highest bidding demon," she threatened.

"Aunt Phoebe!"

Bianca held up her hand. "No Chris, she's right to be so protective. And I'll hold you to that. I won't even put up a fight."

Phoebe nodded. "So how did you get here?"

Bianca swallowed. "He saved me."

"Who?" Phoebe asked.

"Wyatt's subconscious. Part of him was still good. After I passed out, he met me in some weird version of what he called Heaven's Purgatory. He said I had to come back to help you. More specifically Chris."

Phoebe saw the hidden look in her eyes. Chris needed to leave. "Chris, could you get me something to eat please?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded, walking to the kitchen, but he spun around. "Oh, and for future reference you could've just asked me to leave. You should know that better than anyone, Aunt Phoebe," he replied a bit smugly as he walked out.

Phoebe sighed. "I know," she whispered.

"Let me guess, you just didn't want to be rude?" Bianca asked.

Phoebe nodded. "So what else is there?"

She pulled two vials from her pocket and handed them to Phoebe. "He said when I needed them I'd know what to do."

She turned them over in her hands. "Hmm. You don't happen to know what they do."

Bianca shook her head. "I was hoping you'd know."

She sighed. "No, I don't. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to tell by color. But I think if he gave them to you and asked you to come back here, then he must know you still have feelings for Chris."

Her mouth dropped. "I do n—how do you kn—where did you come up with that?"

Phoebe laughed. "I'm Empath, remember? Your feelings are like an open book to me."

"Okay, let's say you're right—just for the sake of argument—and I do love him. That's freaking pedophilia! And I'm _so_ not one!"

She smiled. "I know that, honey, I do, but maybe that's what one of these vials is for. To make that not happen."

She huffed. "First off, **never** call me that again! Second, what good would that do? I'm 28 now. He's half my age! Like that's not gonna be creepy!"

She nodded. "Yeah, it is, but Paige used to tell me of these rare potions. Ones that stopped aging," she held up the blue liquid, "and ones that sped it up," she held up the other.

"You really think he'd do that?" she asked.

"If it's the nephew I used to know, then yes." Phoebe placed them in Bianca's palm and closed her hand over them.

"So…does this mean, you'll trust me not to hurt you or Chris?"

"Trust cannot be given. It must be earned," she said as Chris walked back out with three steaming bowls of soup.

"I thought you might appreciate it," Chris said, sitting on the couch beside Bianca after setting the tray on the coffee table.

"I do, but how about the dinning room table?"

He shrugged, but smiled. "Alright." He stood up, grabbing the tray and walked over to set it on the table.

Bianca let out an almost inaudible sigh and Phoebe laughed. The Phoenix narrowed her eyes. "Relax, Bianca. It's just cute how you still love him." She claimed as Chris returned from the kitchen with placemats and three glasses of water.

She smiled. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"Alright, everything's ready," Chris said walking over to them.

"Okay," Bianca stood up walking over. Noticing the witch wasn't beside her, she stopped and turned around. "Are you okay?"

Chris dropped beside her. "Aunt Phoebe?"

She nodded, patting his hand. "Yeah, its just the way you did that…so effortlessly, you really," she wiped her eyes, "really looked like your mom. I know its real, but the little things are going to take getting used to as well."

"Yeah, they will," Chris said.

"But we'll be here," Bianca claimed.

Phoebe nodded and stood up as they went over to eat.

* * *

**A/N: **So, what do you think? Was anyone surprised by the visitor? Will she join Wyatt's demonic regime? How will she do it?

I hope everyone likes this chapter. It was long overdue!

Next chapter: Chapter 10: Infiltrating the Ranks

Please R & R!

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


	10. A WellKept Secret

**Author's Notes:** Here's the next chapter!

My **personal** thanks to: Leonie1988, That70sshowlova for reviewing the last chapter.

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The Only Ones

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

**Chapter 10: A Well-Kept Secret**

Chris lay in bed that night with amusement. He still didn't know what it was about Bianca, but whenever she was around, he felt happy. Sure, she was a Phoenix, but hey, he and his aunt were witches and his brother—if he dared to still call him that—was a warlock. It wasn't that much of a stretch.

He really thought her plan would work too. She said she didn't exist here, so there was no danger of a doppelganger incident. And as she was a Phoenix, Wyatt might consider letting her join. He sighed. He was always on lookout to add more power to his collection. Though Chris shuddered to think how he would get power from her.

Killing her was obvious, but he could already tell from her smile that she could be quite sly and cunning. _Which is probably how she survived her timeline,_ he thought. Though he didn't really know how awful that timeline was, he didn't want that one to turn into this one.

He sat up, pushing the covers back. "Bianca!" he whispered, knowing Phoebe was asleep in the next room. "Bianca, can you hear me?" he tried again. He didn't hear his door squeak, window open or see her shimmer in, so he assumed she was asleep.

"Yes?" she asked from the corner of the room, making Chris jump and fall off of his bed. She laughed as she walked over and helped him up, catching his annoyed, yet amused expression. "What do you need?"

He sat on his bed next to her. For once he was glad his blinds were open because he had no need to turn on his light. The moonlight shone from the far side of his room, illuminating half of his bed and half of her body. _Her beautiful, fully developed, yet battle-scarred body…_

"Chris?" she asked. He was lost in thought, but she knew—from _personal_ experience with his older self—what the look on his face was. Sure, he was half her age, but, in the end, what is age really? Just a couple numbers. Though she was glad he was well into puberty. She sighed. _That would be way more complicated if he wasn't. Then I really would be a pedophile_, she thought.

"Chris!" she said, louder this time in hoping to jar him from his inexperienced lust.

He jumped. "Wha—yeah, I'm here."

She smiled though the moonlight. "Why did you call me?"

"I was just thinking…"

"Thinking?"

"Mhm."

"About what? You seemed pretty lost."

"You and—"

She sighed inwardly, but deep down she had to stop this. He was so young and if, God forbid, Wyatt threw her to the dogs, he would only be hurt again—probably worse than last time. "Chris," she began as she took his hand, "as flattered as I am. I-I-I don't—" This was so hard. She did love him, no matter how old he was.

He caught the hesitation in her eyes. "You know, don't you? You think I'm a crazy pervert now, right?" he asked, standing and yanking his hand away.

She stayed silent. The tone of his voice sounded so broken that she wanted to walk over, hug him and never let him go, but she wasn't sure how he would respond. Yes, he was a hormone-crazed 14-year-old, but he was the one she'd fallen in love with…again.

"I knew it couldn't be true! I knew she lied!"

"Who Chris?"

He leaned against his closed door. "My Aunt Phoebe! She said you loved me! That was why you went back in the first place." He sniffed, swallowing hard. "Said I gave you my mom's ring as a symbol I'd come back, but how could I? I died!" he cried, sliding down the door.

Against everything, Bianca willingly got up and walked over to sit beside him. She sighed. "You see, that's just it, Chris. I do love you, even now, though I don't know if I love you or your memory. And that, in itself is dangerous. But you're only 14 and if I do this and he rejects me, we'll never be together."

"Why is it dangerous?"

"You'd be competing with a ghost and that wouldn't be a healthy relationship."

He shrugged. "So, I'll learn from you. About what you want, what you need and who you are."

"Are you saying you love me?" she asked confused. "I know you're hormone aren't even close to being sorted out yet, so how can you love me that much?"

He sighed. "I'm not sure." He wiped his eyes. "Aunt Phoebe always says that love has no boundaries, so maybe his love for you was somehow transferred to me because you're here."

She smiled. "That's a nice thought, but you can't prove it. Not when you're this young."

"So, you want me to wait until we're closer in age?" he asked laughing. "That's not gonna happen!"

She nodded. "Yeah, I know. I don't mean wait for that. Let your hormones settle a little. Search yourself and see how you feel. The answer may not be the love I have, not at first anyway."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know what you mean, but I do feel…something for you. Like something I'll never find anywhere else. Maybe it is that. I mean it could be, right?"

"Maybe because I know you love me. You always have."

"The 'other' me, you mean? 'I' haven't always loved you. 'I' just met you."

"Yes, you're right. All those things she said about you and me were true too."

"So…do you think it'll happen?"

"Possibly. If everything goes mostly according to our plan which we have yet to come up with." She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and he laid his head on hers.

"Hey, is there anything I can do to prevent things? You know, like if I'd been stronger or smarter. Anything like that?"

She thought for a moment before replying. "No, I think you had what you needed. You just didn't get the chance to return."

He yawned and she felt him relax against her. "I suppose you want me back in my bed?"

"Well, it is pretty late, Chris," she said as she stood with him on her shoulder. She sat him down and he fell asleep before she could pull the covers over him. She smiled. He looked so peaceful, so childlike, but he always had when he slept.

She sighed. She had someplace she needed to visit before he awoke. Glancing at his peaceful state one final time, she shimmered away.

* * *

She arrived just outside the door of her not-so-former home. She couldn't hear anyone inside, so carefully she opened the door, seeing the apartment was vacant. Still, the Phoenix smiled upon hearing the old hinges creek. It used to be the only warning she got when her mother arrived home from work.

It usually meant she had to scurry back to her room. She sighed, closing the door. Her powers had been so unpredictable as a child and most of the time her mother brought a friend home with her. Whether they were mortal or demonic she'd never known.

Either way, it was best she hid. If her powers surfaced when a demon was near her mother had warned her of the trouble it would cause, whether she would mean to show them or not.

She walked the empty hallway, her boots echoing on the hardwood floor until she came to her mother's bedroom. With a shaky hand, Bianca turned the knob and opened the door. She slipped in soundlessly, which was surprising even to her with her boots and walked straight to the hope chest at the end of the bed.

To others it looked locked but Bianca knew the secret to opening it. Realistically, it was cursed by her ancestors to keep others away. If anyone other than a direct descendant opened it, they would be engulfed in flames and casted into Purgatory.

She laughed a bit, finding it similar to the Book of Shadows as only a direct descendant could remove it from the house. But while the ancient knowledge book kept evil away, this hope chest didn't. If she were to die, somehow the chest would know and would open for the only one who is directly tied to her soul. _Which would be Chris. It doesn't matter how old he is,_ she thought.

She knocked five consecutive times in various spots and the lid flipped open. Inside she found various books and papers on her ancestry and while she was intrigued, Bianca knew they would do no good right now so she took them out and set them on the floor beside her. Digging to the bottom, she found the bottom lined with a velvet cloth.

Curious, she felt the bottom. Surely something this buried had to hide something. She pressed down with both hands in the center and found a hold about the size of her fist. Quickly, she swiped up the cloth with one hand and was shocked with what truly lined the bottom of the chest.

"Blood?" she breathed. Dried crimson was pooled at the bottom. It gave her an odd feeling. As if she knew whose blood it was. But how could she? Her mother had destroyed their chest before she died. She stuck her hand through the hole and pulled out a small snow white satchel.

The satchel felt like it belonged in her hands. She pulled back and set it in her lap. untying it and dumping the contents into her hand she found a necklace with a small onyx-black stone and a larger stone of the same color.

Grasping the three items for dear life she stood and walked over the vanity mirror. Wiping away the years of dust, she set the large stone and satchel down and hooked the jewelry around her. Instantly, her eyes sparkled with power beyond her comprehension. It wasn't evil, not in her hands anyway. She smiled. She could easily picture her mother staring back at her wearing it, but she didn't know why.

Stuffing the larger stone back in the satchel, tying it around her ankle and hiding it in her boot for safekeeping, she turned back to the papers and books of her ancestry. There had to be something in one of these books that told her what these stones were for.

She checked her watch and found that an hour had already flown by while searching the contents of the chest. She sat on the ground and pulled the books down with her. She scanned through the lose papers. They were obituary notices of her ancestor's deaths.

Bianca picked up the thickest book and read it intently. She processed every word, hoping to find something about the beautiful black stones. There was nothing in that book and she sighed in frustration. She let the book flop closed and the worn pages produced a puff of dust.

She drug another book closer and opened to the first page with a resigned huff of breath. She already knew it was a lost cause, but read it anyway. Near the end, written in on a blank page in sloppy cursive was a tiny passage.

It showed a picture of the onyx stones with a brief description of their history.

It contained the most ancient black magic known to anyone. Dangerous if used in the wrong hands, especially the ones with white-magic blood. Powerful and deadly.

The sentences barely satisfied her curiosity.

"Like Chris?" she asked herself. She mouthed the next words, making sure not to make a single sound. "Or even Wyatt?"

Did this mean that Chris couldn't touch it? Or just that it shouldn't fall into Wyatt's hands? She didn't know. But she thought she knew someone who could help her figure it out. She folded up the papers and held on tight to them as she shimmered away.

* * *

A knock awoke Phoebe from a sound sleep. Slightly irritated but knowing if it was this late it had to be important, she pushed back the covers and walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" she asked through a yawn.

"Bianca," she answered softly.

Quietly, Phoebe unlocked and opened her door. "What is it?"

"I just-I found something of my mother's and I was wondering if you could help me with something."

Phoebe stepped to the side and the girl entered. She then shut the door and they walked over and sat on her bed.

Bianca handed her the papers and the satchel.

Grabbing her glasses, she read the papers carefully for a few moments. "And you found this where?" she asked turning her attention away from the papers a second.

"In my mother's hope chest. Its important, isn't it? I wasn't sure."

Phoebe nodded. "Yes, though I'm not sure exactly why."

Bianca cocked a brow. "You're not getting a Premonition? I thought you would, being as the papers were important."

She sighed. "Sometimes they come in my dreams."

Bianca stood. "Well, we should probably get some sleep. It is almost three in the morning." She said walking over to the door.

"Oh, Bianca?"

She turned. "Yes?"

"Do…you have somewhere to stay?"

She bit her lip. "I was planning on going back to my mother's vacant apartment. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"No, as long as you're hell-bent on helping us," Phoebe threw a pillow and blanket at her feet, "you'll stay here. It's only fair."

Bianca froze in shock. No one—aside from Chris—had ever been genuinely nice to her in her life. She bent down and picked up the items. "The living room couch? I wouldn't expect anything better than that. They're your sisters and unless you ask for my help their things in their rooms will stay in their places."

Phoebe nodded. "Yes. And someday I would like help with that."

Bianca smiled. "Just say when. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Bianca shimmered out.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, I made a little side-story out of this chapter. And it's also verrrrrrrry short. From this point on, I have no idea the length of the chapters (although if there is a good fight. it'll probably be long).

The infiltration is coming -within the next few chapters, it'll probably be split up- just not this next chapter, but it'll get there.

Oh and thanks to That70sShowLova for helping me out a bit!

I hope everyone likes this chapter. It was long overdue!

**Chapter 11: Keeping the 'Can Do' Attitude Alive**

Please R & R!

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell


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